Time Passes On
by amkhe
Summary: After a regular mission goes horribly awry, Lucy goes missing without a trace and Fairy Tail painfully resigns themselves to the fact that she is lost to them forever. However, as evil forces gather, Fiore is thrown into chaos, catapulting all legal guild members to the front line of a violent, bloodthirsty war, which ironically, may just heal their broken hearts.
1. Missing

This is my first fanfiction, and I really, really look forward to hearing your constructive criticisms, and any other feedback you can offer :)

Fairy Tail is not mine :(

* * *

Erza Scarlett slid back, her back resting on the nearest building. She bit her lip, glancing in the air, willing for the tears not to overflow as she clutched the freely bleeding gash on her side.

"Damn." She whispered.

"Erza?" Came a soft voice. Erza's neck snapped towards the source, her eyes registering a tall, blue haired mage, with a swirling tattoo around one eye.

"Did you manage to find her?" She asked quietly. Jellal shook his head.

"No."

"What about…_it?_" She couldn't bring herself to say its name. Jellal bowed his head.

"I'm sorry Erza. It escaped through the mountains. Ultear and I were not fast enough, nor powerful enough to stop it." Erza paled, the repercussions sinking in. Jellal extended a wary hand to her, his eyes sad.

"Erza, we have to get you to Wendy. Your wound is quite serious." Erza looked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I can't just leave her, Jellal." She pushed herself off the wall, with the intent of taking a step. However, the pain proved to be too much, and she doubled over. Jellal caught her, holding her firmly with his arms.

"Exactly." Jellal said gently, ripping a large piece of his cloak off, and tying it around Erza's wound to slow the bleeding. " However, you'll die if you don't get this wound looked at. Then, you'll definitely be no help to her. Ultear and Meredy will continue to search for her." Erza stared at him, her tears spilling over as sobs wracked her body. Jellal carefully lifted her up bridal style, holding her close to his chest.

"Lucy." She whispered, her eyes sliding shut. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

When Jellal appeared at the Fairy Tail doors begging for help, the entire guild flew into action. Wendy was fetched, and Mirajane raced over with a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth. Jellal held Erza's head as Gray carefully tipped some infection fighting medicine down her throat. Wendy appeared, and began to work her healing magic on the wound after Mira successfully cleaned it. The rest of the guild stood a couple feet away, their faces etched with worry, watching Wendy slave over the evidently serious wound that seemed to refuse to stop bleeding.

"It's very deep." Wendy panted. "I'm only going to be able to stop the bleeding."

"Do whatever you can to save her." Mira told the young dragon slayer firmly, putting a supportive hand on her back, before turning back to the shocked guild members. "Can someone bring some bandages? Hurry!" Romeo dashed to the back, returning with an armful of thick white cloth. Mira thanked him, and cut Erza's shirt, so she and Wendy could have better access to the wound. She cringed at what she saw. The wound was so deep, that her ribs and internal organs were visible. Gray retched, turning away from the sight. Jellal's eyes hardened, his grip on Erza tightening, as if he were afraid that she would slip away from him at any moment. However, it was obvious that Erza _was_ slipping. Her breathing was becoming shallower, and her eyes were starting to cloud over and lose their focus.

"Lucy…" She murmured weakly, turning her head in Jellal's lap. Mira's face whitened, as she slowly looked up at Jellal. He nodded, his head dropping with sorrow. Mira's eyes filled with tears. She put the bandages on her lap and grabbed Erza's hands.

"You stay with me Erza, you hear that?" She demanded. "You are NOT to give up!" However, her words seemed not to reach the injured, grieving Titania.

"Hurry Wendy!" Mira pleaded. Wendy bit her lip, as her exceed, Carla, pulled her silky blue hair away from her face.

"I'm almost done." She managed, her voice cracking with exhaustion. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, she fell back, her face drenched in sweat. Carla immediately rushed forward with a cool cloth, dabbing it off her face. Mira wrapped Erza's wound expertly with bandages, securing it reliably. She fell back, the front of her dress covered in the re-quip mage's blood. She reached out, squeezing Wendy's hand.

"You are amazing." She told her. Wendy smiled weakly at her, her eyelids already drooping.

"I'll take her home." Levy said, wrapping her arms around Wendy's small frame.

"I'll carry her." Gajeel grunted, gently pushing Levy aside and picking the small girl up in his muscled arms. Macao held the guild doors open for them, as the two hurriedly departed to care for the exhausted sky mage. Mira turned back to Jellal.

"Can you carry Erza to the infirmary?" Jellal nodded wordlessly, picking Erza up with such care, it was as if the Titania was made of the most fragile glass. Despite the circumstances, the gesture made Mira smile. Suddenly, the stress of the situation caught up to her, and she began to teeter over.

"Sis!" She heard her brother bellow. Mira shut her eyes, waiting for herself to make impact with the ground. But, steady arms caught her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, smiling ruefully when she saw Laxus' concerned face.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Mira nodded, allowing him to right her.

"We need to talk to the Master about this." She said shakily. "Something terrible has happened to Lucy." Her comment elicited gasps among the guild members. Gray clenched his fist.

"WHAT? What happened to her?" He demanded. Mira shook her head.

"I don't know." She whispered. "But I fully intend to find out."

* * *

"LUCY!" Erza shot up into a sitting position, before slumping over in pain.

"Erza! Please, your wound! You still need to be careful!" A small dragon slayer around the age of thirteen protested. Erza allowed herself to be eased back down onto the hospital cot.

"Carla, could you please go get a basin of ice cold water?" Erza watched blearily as the small white exceed nodded, before flying out of the infirmary.

"Wendy?" She rasped.

"Shh. I'm here." Wendy hushed her, offering her a cup of water. Erza drank thirstily. When her dry throat had been sated, she looked at the small girl.

"How long have I been out?"

"Four days."

"Lucy?" Wendy looked away.

"Jellal told us everything that happened in Milder. Master sent Gajeel and Pantherlily to look for her, but there is still no sign of her. Carla and I will join them once you have stabilized."

"Natsu?"

"Still on that mission with Happy and Lisanna. He'll most likely hear of it soon though. The news is spreading around Fiore like wildfire." Erza felt her eyes fill with hot tears again.

"I swear, I didn't think it was a real one, let alone _him_. I wouldn't have gone, or put Lucy in harm's way-"

"We all know that." Wendy said soothingly. "No one blames you for what happened. There is still hope that we may find her alive." She lifted the blanket to change Erza's bandages. She winced at the sight. "It really was rather lucky you only scraped against the scales. If he had gotten you with his claws…"

"I would have been cut in half." Erza replied, her voice scratchy. "I'm fine. Just…go find Lucy." Wendy nodded in assent.

"I'm going after your fever has gone down, and your bandages have been changed. Don't push yourself, okay? Between Gajeel and I, we will definitely be able to find her!"

Needless to say, they failed.

By the time Wendy and Carla caught up to Gajeel, he had already lost Lucy's trail. They spent two weeks in the wilderness, tirelessly searching. During that time period, Natsu, Lisanna and Happy returned. When he inquired about Lucy, he was merely told she had gone on a solo mission. However, everyone could tell he was suspicious.

And he had good reason to be.

The guild was quiet, tense and on edge. Gray refused to fight him, Elfman was subdued, Mira was distracted, and Cana had even stopped drinking. The reason they did not diverge the details of the crisis at hand, was because they knew he would lose it, and go speeding into danger to go save her. As Master Makarov had put it, this mission required silence and stealth, none of which were Natsu's strong points.

So they waited.

And waited.

* * *

At last, Wendy and Gajeel returned, looking exhausted and defeated. All eyes immediately turned to them, wide and beseeching. Gajeel shook his head, looking uncharacteristically miserable and worn. Wendy was crying. Mira gasped, and burst into tears. Levy stared at Wendy and Gajeel, her small body shaking. Wakaba and Macao shook their heads, and looked away. Gray dragged his hand across his face and slumped against the bar, looking shocked.

They had to face the reality. Lucy wasn't coming back. The thought itself felt poisonous in their mind, as they were confronted with the fact that they had to give up looking for a precious teammate. They would just have to somehow become unaccustomed to her presence, warmth and other endearing qualities. One look at everyone's faces told the same story. The guild would never be the same without her.

"How are we going to tell Natsu?" Max muttered. Makarov huffed.

"We're going to tell him the truth of course. Wendy, Gajeel, was there _absolutely no _trace of her?"

"None." Wendy sniffled. "We even asked around the nearby town, but no one had any useful information."

"Damn it!" Gajeel exclaimed, slamming his fist into the doorframe before turning and stalking out of the guild. Pantherlily hesitated, before quickly flying after him. Wendy watched him walk away, her eyes filled with sadness.

"By the time I got there, he hadn't slept in four days." She whispered. "He searched endlessly, following every trail…refusing to accept the fact…" Carla put a comforting paw on Wendy's shoulder.

"We tried our best." The white exceed told everyone, her voice cracking at the end. "But, quite simply, her trail vanished. We have to accept that there is nothing more we can do."

"What can't we do?" The rosy haired dragon slayer strolled causally though the door, stopping when he saw the distraught faces of his guild members.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"Natsu…" Levy began.

"Lucy's missing." Mira finished quietly. It took Natsu a few seconds to process this.

"WHAT?" He roared. He looked furiously at everyone. "How long? How?"

"Just over two weeks." Wendy said in a small voice.

"What. Happened." He spit out, his clenched fists flaring with the force of his anger.

"Acnologia." Everyone looked back, and saw Erza standing at the top of the stairs, leaning heavily on a pair of crutches. She refused to look Natsu in the eye. "I'm sorry Natsu. I got careless. Lucy saved me. Acnologia took her."

"Where."

"Natsu, Gajeel and I have already searched for her. Her trail's gone cold."

"Where." He repeated, his voice impassive, emotionless.

"In Milder." Erza replied, her voice breaking. Natsu turned away from the guild, snatching Happy by the tail on his way out.

They didn't see him again for a year.

* * *

End of first chapter…haha…how did I do?

I'm going to try and keep updating weekly, or maybe more if I'm ahead of myself. I also may post the titles of other fanfictions I'm currently reading and really enjoy. If you guys have ANY suggestions of good fanfictions I should check out, please, please PM me or mention it in your review :).

Anyways, the first fanfiction I recommend is 'Possession' by HawkofNarvarre. It's really amazing, and if you're a Nalu fan, it should be a staple in your favourites.

Thank you for reading!


	2. Stars

To everyone who reviewed: You guys are so sweet! Thank you so much for giving my little story a chance :) StarFireEclipse, I checked out your story and I loved it! :) For anyone else who hasn't yet read The Romeo-Juliet-Love-Effect, it is definitely worth reading! :)

And without further ado...chapter two! :) Again, if you guys see any errors, typos etc let me know! I try to proofread as throughly as possible, but when I read it over a few days later, I find a whole bunch of mistakes! I'll do my best to keep on top of them :)

* * *

Five years had passed since Lucy disappeared.

Five long, quiet, miserable years.

Of course, Fairy Tail had managed to regain some semblance of normalcy. However, mentioning Lucy's name now stood as a sort of taboo- especially around Natsu.

When he finally returned from his failed year long search, he looked…broken. Like he would fall to pieces if touched or if someone mentioned Lucy. Makarov welcomed him back with open arms, and the guild threw a party to celebrate his return. However, it was apparent that their efforts were wasted. The Natsu that had returned to Fairy Tail was a mere shell of what he once was. He hardly slept, and he only ate when Mirajane shoved a plate of food in front of him. He was always trapped in thought, no doubt trying to devise new ways of tracking Acnologia, whom had frustratingly seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth.

He never spoke of his year away. Happy didn't elaborate much either when pressed. Based on what everyone had managed to gather, the year long journey had been immensely painful for both of them. They had crossed Fiore several times over, following possible leads that could provide clues on Acnologia's whereabouts. And every time a lead ended up being a dead end, Natsu grew quieter, and more discouraged. This continued until the point even the great Fire Dragon Slayer himself had given up. There was just simply nothing to go on, and the pain of his failures was too excruciating to move forward. Therefore, his homecoming was bittersweet. Fairy Tail was overjoyed to have their beloved teammate back, however, his return solidified the fact Lucy was really gone for good.

The past four years had been all about healing and moving forward. Fairy Tail took jobs, won the Magic Games, welcomed new members, and threw their annual parade. Erza and Jellal had married not long after he, Ultear and Meredy had been cleared by the magic council and joined Fairy Tail. Furthermore, Gajeel and Levy were in a serious, committed relationship (much to the angst of Jet and Droy), Elfman had presented Evergreen with a rather large diamond ring, and much to the shock of everyone, Mira and Laxus had begun to date quietly.

Life moved forward. Time passed on. People kept on growing, gathering new, happy memories to dull the painful ones. It helped them cope.

But, one person remained locked in the past.

Out of everyone in the guild, Natsu was the slowest to begin healing. For awhile, he refused to make a new team, preferring to work only with Happy and when forced, Erza and Gray. He disallowed visitors in his home, wanting to preserve Lucy's scent in there for as long as possible. Because Lucy had cleaned not long before she had departed for her final mission, he was rather forceful that nothing be disturbed, or moved from its place unless it was absolutely necessary.

After his return, Levy had given him a copy of Lucy's novel to remember her by. It was the first book Natsu read multiple times, and the pages were becoming worn from overuse. Sometimes, he would evenstill find himself walking in the direction of her house out of habit, causing him to shake his head in amusement. He had known Lucy for less years than she had been gone. It was amazing how he had already come to form such ingrained habits regarding her.

Of course he knew why. But the truth didn't make the reality any easier.

Lisanna had been trying to help her favourite dragon slayer to move forward since his return. However, Natsu's admirable loyalty prevented him from even looking at another woman the way he had viewed Lucy. Mira saw this, and tried her best to discourage her sister, but Lisanna was adamant about continuing to try. She cared about Natsu deeply, and was determined to be the one to help him live again. But, Natsu proved to be as dense as ever, and failed to even notice her efforts.

Eventually, Natsu resumed his old personality, even though he still preferred to do missions with only Erza, Gray and Happy. Lately though, the Fairy Tail missions had been increasing in number and in difficulty. The Dark Guilds and Illegal Guilds of Fiore were starting to upsurge in activity, causing mass destruction and chaos. However, despite the guild's constant work and high number of successes, nothing they did seemed to cease their antics. So, the day after the 5th anniversary of Lucy's disappearance, Makarov went to a collective meeting of the legal guilds and the magic council to discuss what their next move should be. He left Laxus in charge in his absence, promising to be back within three days. Before he left, he made all the members promise not to go on any missions until they knew more about what the dark guilds were up to. He also encouraged everyone to stay together as a group as much as possible, just so no one was caught off guard and ambushed alone. Mira had taken it upon herself to turn the event into an extended slumber party, producing sleeping bags, food, and a projector so that they could all watch movies.

The girls were excited about it. The boys couldn't care less.

The party began immediately after the Master left. Mira had armed herself with comedies and everyone's favourite food to pump up the atmosphere, which had been down since the anniversary of Lucy's death the day before. For the majority, it worked, and soon the entire guild was laughing, joking around and binge drinking as usual. Natsu sat apart from everyone else, brooding over a glass of firewhisky. Mira watched him, her eyes sad.

"I'm worried about him Laxus," She said to her boyfriend. "It's been five years, and he still misses her so much." Laxus shrugged.

"Go talk to him then." Mira gave him an exasperated look.

"I've tried! Multiple times!"

"Remind him of Lucy. What she would want." Laxus suggested. "I'm sure the last thing he would want to do is insult her legacy." Stars appeared in Mira's eyes.

"Oh my gosh, Laxus that's brilliant!" She went up on her tiptoes and planted a firm kiss on his cheek. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around!" A befuddled looking Laxus took a few minutes to process this.

"W-Wait. You're saying that you forgot why you're with me? MIRA!?" But Mira had already skipped towards the bar, out of earshot from a desperate looking Laxus. She went behind the bar table, and leaned towards Natsu.

"Natsu!" She chirped. "Isn't this fun?" Natsu barely glanced at her.

"Yeah. Fun."

"Why don't you go watch the movie? I picked your favourites!"

"Nah." Mira huffed, schooling an annoyed look upon her face.

"Well, you shouldn't be sitting here like a loner. I think Gray and Elfman are starting a game of ping pong. Why don't you go beat them?"

"Not interested." Mira sucked in a breath, before she began to approach the sensitive topic.

"This is about Lucy, isn't it?" Natsu's dead coal black eyes flickered up towards her.

"What else would it be about?" Well. At least he was honest.

"Natsu, come on." Mira said gently, putting her hand on his arm. "It's time to move on. Lucy wouldn't have wanted this." Natsu jerked back as if she had poured acid on his arm.

"Don't you dare say she wouldn't have wanted this." He spat, his black eyes dark with anger. "Don't you think I know that? I know she would have wanted me to be happy, to go on missions, to find Igneel... But now, it's all so _meaningless_ without her!"

"Natsu…" Mira whispered, her hand on her chest. Natsu pushed away from the bar, before being instantly grabbed by a foreign hand. He looked up.

"Let go Gajeel." He growled.

"No." The Iron Dragon Slayer paid him no heed, as he dragged the flailing, pink haired dragon slayer out of the guild, practically tossing him on the ground outside, before plopping down next to him.

"What the hell Gajeel?" Natsu snapped angrily, his fists heating up.

"You loved her, didn't you?" He asked bluntly. The fight instantly left Natsu's body. He nodded wordlessly.

"I'm…sorry you know. I tried to find her when she first vanished. And…I thought about losin' Levy…and it made me panic so much more…so…I'm…here….if you wanna talk. Or fight, preferably." Natsu stood.

"Thanks for the offer Gajeel, but I don't really feel like doing either right now."

"Look at the stars." As to demonstrate, the iron dragon slayer rose his head towards the thousands of brilliant jewels in the sky.

"Excuse me?"

"Levy said that since Bunny Girl was a celestial mage, her magic came from the universe-"

"So a little bit of her spirit exists in the stars." Levy interrupted, joining them. She yanked Natsu back down as she settled herself beside Gajeel. "I can't explain it, but whenever I look and talk to the stars, I swear I feel like she's watching over me. That's she's listening." Her eyes filled with tears. "It helps Natsu. To know that she's never really left us. She just exists in a different, intangible form." Defeated, Natsu turned his attention towards the night sky.

"Come on Gajeel…let's give him a moment." He vaguely heard Levy whisper as the inky haired mage left with the blue headed bookworm. He took a deep breath, and started:

"Luce, the stars are sparkling." He whispered. "Like your eyes did when you were really happy. Does that mean you're happy up there?" He laughed quietly. "I bet you are. You always were some sort of angel, even though you were a weirdo." A tingle went through him, similar to the ones he felt when he heard Lucy's laughter. His eyes widened in surprise before he smirked, his chest thumping painfully. "Are you laughing at me, Luce?" He felt the tingle again, confirming his suspicions. "Thanks a lot. I tried to compliment you and you mock me!" He felt his eyes fill with tears, as the tingle ran through him. "I really miss you Luce." He said thickly. "But it hurts a little less to know that you're still around, watching over us." A warm feeling spread through him. "Thank you Lucy." He murmured.

Natsu spent the rest of the night talking to 'Lucy'. He told her everything that had surpassed since she had disappeared. He told her about the new members Fairy Tail had recruited, some new kick ass moves he had learned, and he even grudgingly told her about the new romances that had blossomed, because he knew it would make her happy. All too soon, he yawned widely. A warm, wonderful feeling washed through him.

"I don't want to sleep." He mumbled. "I want to talk to you." Another wave of warmness spread through his chest, but this one was a little more insistent. He pushed himself into a standing position. "Fine. But I can come talk to you tomorrow, right?" He put his hand on his heart, reveling in the comforting heat that had just passed through. "Good. Night Luce!" With one last look at the stars, Natsu re-entered the guild and burrowed down into the nearest sleeping bag he could find. Of course, Gray had apparently claimed that sleeping bag as his own earlier that night, so they had a war over it, which ultimately destroyed the sleeping bag. After getting Laxus to punch them both in the head for their carelessness, Mirajane pulled out two more sleeping bags, and told them to sleep. Natsu and Gray quickly complied, glancing at each other with terror. Mira had just given them a look that rivaled any of her demons.

Morning came all too soon. However, no one rose. Being banned from accepting jobs and extremely hungover from the night before, the entire Fairy Tail guild slept well into the afternoon. Once Mira finally roused everyone, a buffet breakfast was served, with an extra emphasis on greasy foods to help nurse the pounding headaches that seemed to be popular among the guild members. The remaining hours of the afternoon were quieter, with Gray and Natsu reducing their fights to an epic card game of war and Wakaba taught Wendy and Romeo how to play poker. Erza polished her battle gear while chatting happily to Jellal, who was listening to her with an expression of utmost adoration on his face. Gajeel napped as Levy furiously read a pile of books, and Happy continued his relentless pursuit for Carla's affections.

That night, the party started up again in full throttle. Natsu immediately darted outside, however was crushed when he saw clouds covering the stars. He attempted to talk to Lucy again, with no avail. Mopey, he returned back inside the guild, where he was immediately hit by a flying pot (courtesy of Droy). Of course, Natsu managed to push Lucy to the back of his mind and exert revenge on the unlucky plant mage. Pretty soon, the hall had erupted to a full on brawl, with Cana and Erza being the only girls participating. The rest ducked behind the bar as tables, books, and other unidentifiable objects flew over their heads as Gajeel loudly sang his newest 'hit'.

Which is how Master Makarov found them in the morning.

The guild was in shambles (surprise!), with random bodies sprawled around various places, and a pile of girls quietly sleeping behind the bar. After a few minutes of debate, he decided to wake everyone up.

"BRATS!" he hollered, enlarging his fisted hand and slamming it on a clear floor space. This made the entire guild shake, encouraging many guild members to awaken grumpily. After at least two more mini brawls, the guild was tidied, and everyone was more or less awake. Once everyone had assembled, Makarov finally began to speak.

"I have returned with news from the meeting." He paused, making sure everyone was listening. "Intel from the council has proved our worst fear. The Dark Guilds and Illegal Guilds are joining together to form an army of ten thousand strong. They have declared war on Fiore." Gasps and angry shouts arose from various guild members.

"We'll take them on!" Natsu hollered.

"Man!" Elfman shouted unnecessarily. The rest of the guild members nodded their heads in agreement.

"I'm glad you think that way." Makarov said, his eyes glinting. "Pack your bags kiddies. We're off to the front lines."

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please review! :)

The next story I would like to recommend is "The Fire That Binds Us" by PheonixedDragon- seriously, this is the ultimate Fantasy AU of all other Fairy Tail fanfictions I've read thus far. Everything is put together and related so flawlessly- a true pleasure to read! :)


	3. Five years past I

Oh my goodness…thank you all so much for your reviews! It's nice to know that I'm not doing a horrible job, and they have most definitely inspired me to keep going :)

Have you ever had an idea for a story at the most random, inconvenient time when you should be doing something else, but you can't stop thinking about the sudden flow of ideas in your head, and even though you shouldn't, you have to go write it down, and then suddenly, you can't think or concentrate on anything but the story? Happened to me the other day. It was so exciting, yet, my poor physics homework just had to take a back seat. So. Basically sat down all day today and typed twenty pages. I'm posting it in two parts, but don't worry they'll pretty much be back to back! :) The 2nd part will be posted tomorrow afternoon at the latest.

One reviewer mentioned the fluff I had with Natsu and his conversation with 'Lucy'. I completely agree with you. I kind of skim over super fluffy parts in stories as well, however there are some I really enjoy. Plus, the fact that I can't really write it may have also aggravated your 'fluff phobia' as well haha! My goal is to one day be able to write it so it doesn't come across as super, super cheesy, but that will come with practice and lots of brainstorming. However, that scene in chapter 2 does mark an important moment in the story, so I promise you, it wasn't completely pointless!

One more thing- I went to google and started looking for cover images I could use for this story, because I don't want my avatar showing up as the cover image and I'm artistically challenged, and really can't draw to save my life. Therefore, I would like to put in a disclaimer that I do not own the image (got it off a russian site). If you are the artist, and you want me to take it down, please PM me and I will do so instantly. I also don't own Fairy Tail.

Let's move on to chapter 3!

* * *

Five years earlier:

It was a typical day when Erza Scarlett opened her eyes. The sun had hardly risen, the dim light alighting her pastel yellow walls with a soft, ethereal glow. Her internal alarm clock blaring, she blearily turned her head to look at the digital one on her nightstand. Six a.m. Tossing off her blankets without complaint, she showered and re-equipped into her casual, day to day attire before beginning the short walk from her apartment in Fairy Hills to the guild hall. Once she was outside, she breathed in the slightly damp air, sighing happily. Erza loved early mornings. They marked the brief moments when she could think and reflect peacefully, before joining in on the rather loud antics of her fellow guild members. With the gentle rays of the sun, the cool air caressing her face and the silence of civilization, they proved to be much more effective than any cup of coffee.

As usual, she was one of the first to arrive at the guild. She sat in her usual bar stool, and Mirajane took a break from cleaning to serve Erza her usual breakfast- eggs and pancakes. Even the strawberry cake loving Titania knew that eating it for breakfast could prove to be detrimental to her missions. Mira greeted her pleasantly, as she did every other morning, before carefully moving a passed out Cana aside so she could clean the spot where she and her barrels of booze had crowded the bar table. Erza began to eat her breakfast, revealing in the silence of the guild, until the doors busted open. Her eye twitched. Only one person would dare to enter the guild like that.

"Morning Erza!" Erza didn't even bother to mask her annoyance. She loved Natsu dearly, however, he was interrupting her breakfast and quiet time.

"Natsu, you're up early." As usual, the pink haired pyromaniac was oblivious.

"Lisanna, Happy and I are going on a mission. We wanted to be here extra early so we could get the best one!" That got Erza's attention. She turned around, seeing a smiling Lisanna and a sleepy Exceed standing not too far away.

"Without Lucy?" Erza asked, craning her neck around Natsu, wondering if his usual blonde companion was somehow hiding behind his muscular frame. Natsu looked at Lisanna grumpily. She stepped closer to the dragon slayer.

"Natsu and I have hardly spent any time together since I got back from Edolas." She announced. "So, I thought it would be fun if the three of us went on a mission together," she looked at Natsu meaningfully. "Like old times." Erza nodded. It made sense. The three were inseparable in the days before Lisanna's disappearance.

"Have you told Lucy? I think her rent's coming up soon, and she's been waiting for you to pick a mission." Natsu opened and closed his mouth, before turning to Lisanna. Sighing, Erza came to his rescue.

"I take that you haven't told her then." A thought entered her mind. "Actually, this may be a good thing. Lucy and I have hardly spent any time together over the past few months. I'll go with her on a high paying mission today, so she'll be set for the next while." Natsu grinned widely at Erza's offer, looking visibly relieved that the celestial mage would be taken care of.

"Great! Thanks a lot Erza!" Erza waved him away.

"Like I said, this is a good thing. I hardly ever get to see her with you always monopolizing her time." She glared at Natsu, who had the sense to take a few steps back.

"Umm…come on Happy, Lisanna! Let's go pick a mission!" After many overlapping arguments and whining, the three finally left, having selected a simple bandit control mission a few towns over. They were set to return in about two weeks. Deciding to take advantage of that, Erza walked up to the mission board, scanning the posters. She shook her head. All of them were completely unsatisfactory. Her eyes shifted to the S class board nearby. Lucy _had_ been training hard lately, and thus become much stronger. If she went with her, she was sure the blonde mage would be able to hold her own during an S class mission.

As her eyes skimmed over the more advanced jobs, Erza immediately zeroed in on the highest paying one, snatching it off the board. Her eyes narrowed as she read what it entailed. She walked over to Mira, and slid the flyer in front of her.

"You don't think this is a real dragon, do you?" Mira took the request, reading it over thoughtfully.

"Master approves requests before we post them on the board. I'm sure he wouldn't post it if there was any inclination that it was an actual dragon." Erza nodded in agreement.

"That's what I thought. It's probably a wyvern of sorts, right?"

"I would think so. Besides, a real dragon hasn't been seen in over fourteen years,"

"What about Acnologia?" Mira reread the flier, before shaking her head.

"Acnologia is a pretty popular figure. The last mission request we had on him specifically mentioned the black dragon, not to mention after Gildarts and our experience on Tenrou Island, I'm sure the Master would be hard pressed to ever post another mission regarding him."

"Either way, if it was a real dragon, or Acnologia, the Magic Council would be all over this." Erza noted, taking the flier from Mira.

"That's what I think too." Mira said, picking up her discarded dishcloth. "I can go check with the Master if you are still unsure though." Erza shook her head.

"No, I'm pretty sure you're right." She said, pocketing the request before re-quipping in her everyday armor. "I'll go to Lucy's house now. We will leave immediately." Mira nodded cheerfully.

"Good luck!" She called as Erza departed the guild.

* * *

Erza walked purposefully to Lucy's house, arriving at her door at the cusp of 7:30 am. She knocked loudly, and repeatedly, until finally, a very sleepy looking Lucy wrenched the door open. She opened her mouth to yell, however her eyes widened when she saw Erza.

"Erza! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" She asked, wrapping the blanket draped around her shoulders more tightly around herself.

"Yes. Why wouldn't it be?" Erza asked, puzzled as she entered the homey little apartment. "Does something need to be wrong for me to stop by?" Lucy muffled her groan in her blanket.

"At…7:30, kind of." She yawned widely, accepting the fact that she wouldn't be going back to bed. She retreated to the kitchen, filling the coffee pot up with water. "Coffee?"

"Please." Erza said, settling on Lucy's plush couch.

"So, why did you stop by?" Lucy asked, curious.

"I have a mission for us to go on!" Erza said proudly.

"A mission? You mean with Natsu and Gray?"

"No, just you and me."

"W-what?" Lucy poked her head out from the kitchen. "Just you and me?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?" Lucy shook her head emphatically.

"N-no! Not at all!" She said hastily. "It's just that, we've never done that before."

"And I can't imagine why." Erza declared. "We get along, and work together well enough. We should leave the boys behind every now and then." Lucy laughed at her comment, disappearing back in the kitchen.

"That's very true." She agreed, emerging with two steaming cups of coffee. She carefully handed one to Erza, before taking a seat beside her. "It'll be nice to have some girl time, without those idiots destroying the town, and causing us to lose all our reward money."

"Exactly."

"So, what is this mission about?" Lucy asked. Erza produced the flyer from her pocket. Lucy set her mug on the coffee table, before curling her feet up beneath her. As she read the flyer, her eyes got wider and wider with each passing word.

"A dragon?! Shouldn't Natsu be going on this with you? Or Gajeel? Or even Wendy!"

"It's not a real one." Erza said confidently. "The locals can't tell the difference between a dragon and a wyvern. They all claim 'dragon' to make their situation sound more dramatic."

"Okay. A wyvern." Lucy nodded slowly. "I can handle that." Her eyes darted to the reward. "Twelve million jewels?! That'll cover my rent for the rest of the year! And then some!" Erza smirked at Lucy's shocked face.

"I knew your rent was due soon. I thought I better take the chance and go on a mission with you before Natsu and Happy get back."

"Get back? Where did they go?"

"They left early this morning for a mission with Lisanna." Erza replied. She saw a slight shadow cross Lucy's face before her features immediately returned to normal. She must have imagined it.

"That's wonderful! They haven't had a chance to spend much time with her since she got back. I'm sure they'll have a great time!" Erza shrugged.

"I have no idea. Anyways, I'm heading back to my apartment to pack. I'll meet you at the guild around nine?" Lucy glanced at the clock, and yelped.

"It's eight, Erza!"

"Yeah? So?" Lucy dragged her hand over her face.

"Never mind. Okay, if we have to meet at the guild in an hour, I better get ready." Erza nodded, satisfied with her response.

"Good. Don't be late." Lucy saluted, before sprinting up the stairs. Erza let herself out, and started to make her way back to her apartment to gather her things.

* * *

When Erza entered Fairy Tail precisely at nine, she was surprised to see that the celestial mage had arrived before her. She was sitting at the bar chatting happily with Mira and Gray.

"Lucy! Ready to go?"

"I can't believe you're going on a mission alone with her." Gray muttered to Lucy, in a tone he thought Erza couldn't hear. Grinning slightly with malice, Erza grabbed Gray's ear.

"Did you have something you wanted to say, Gray?"

"N-No!" Gray squeaked in terror.

"Good." Erza released his ear. Gray rubbed it as he slowly inched away from Erza. Lucy watched the spectacle, shaking her head.

"Well, we better get going! Bye Gray, Mira! See you soon!"

"Bye Lucy! Have fun!" Mira called out. Lucy waved happily as she followed Erza and her wagon filled with things out the guild doors.

* * *

The train ride to Milder was uneventful. Being a rather isolated, unknown town, the train was nearly empty, safe for Lucy and Erza. Erza ordered a strawberry cake to enjoy, while Lucy contented herself with some fresh fruit and tea.

"Why are you eating that?"

"Eating what?" Lucy glanced down at her bowl of mixed blueberries, strawberries and bananas. "Fruit?"

"Yes."

"Well, for one, I didn't get a chance to have breakfast," Lucy started, looking at Erza in exasperation. "Two, I'm trying to lose weight."

"Why?" Sure Lucy had gained a few pounds over the years, but she didn't need to lose weight.

"Because I'm sick of everyone pointing it out that I've gained weight." She complained. "My self- esteem is already dangerously low."

"You? Low self-esteem?" Images of the times Lucy used her 'feminine wiles' to get what she wanted flitted through her mind.

"Being in Fairy Tail has taken its toll." She joked. Erza's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" Lucy waved it off.

"It's nothing like that! I love it there, and I'm so happy I joined,"

"But?" Lucy sighed loudly, resting the bowl of fruit on her lap.

"But even though I've improved, I'm still so weak and dependent on you, Natsu and Gray to save me." She whispered. "There are times, I wonder if I even belong in a guild as great as Fairy Tail. Or even on a team with you, Natsu and Gray. I mean, you all have such amazing power and I'm just…there. The cheerleader. On the side lines, never really contributing."

"Of course you do." Erza said, confused. "You fit right in. You're our friend, a member of the family. Plus, the thing you call 'cheerleading' is what helps us find the strength to win. And you are plenty strong. You could probably take Natsu in a fight." Lucy laughed at the thought.

"Only because he would try not to hurt me," She said, her expression softening.

"That does sound like Natsu." Erza agreed, before returning her attention to her cake. The rest of the train ride was passed in companionable silence, with only a few comments about the beautiful scenery they were starting to pass. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Theron train station. They would be taking a carriage the rest of the way, as Milder's had been completely demolished by the 'dragon'.

"You know, travelling is really peaceful when you don't have a motion sick dragon slayer on your lap." Lucy commented, as the horses clip clopped steadily down the dirt road. "We should do this more often."

"Travelling would be more peaceful if you would let me knock him out." Erza grumbled. "We all have to suffer because you're too soft on him." Lucy rolled her eyes, resting her chin on her fist.

"Well, I think punishing him for something he obviously can't help isn't very fair either."

"It puts him out of his misery!"

"It also knocks him out for the rest of the day!" Lucy argued, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "If you can learn to knock him out for only a couple of hours, then I may allow you to 'put him out of his misery'," she said with air quotes, "When we travel together."

"Deal." Erza approved. She would have to experiment when they got back.

"Are we there yet?" Lucy complained suddenly, poking her head out the window. "It's nearly five! We've been traveling for over- Oh my God."

"What is it?"

"I think we're here." Erza craned her neck so she could see outside the window. What she saw, was horrific and upsetting to say the least.

The town that must have previously been Milder was literally burnt to the ground. Charred remains of buildings and people littered the ground, along with gaping craters and still smoking trees. The smell of burning flesh saturated the air.

"Erza?" Lucy said, her voice small.

"What?" Erza managed to say, her stomach clenching. Somehow, she knew what Lucy was going to say.

"I don't think a wyvern could have done this." Erza swallowed, before steeling herself.

"Me neither."

* * *

The carriage driver took them as far as the small canyon, where the remaining survivors were hiding in a small cave camouflaged in the rocky walls. As they entered, they saw twenty or so forsaken adults and children. The majority were sitting against a wall, nursing serious burns and wounds. One man had a piece of wood impaled through his left leg, and he was shivering violently from fever. An elderly woman bought a canteen of water to his side, preparing to pour it on a dry piece of cloth to blot his head. The man raised a shaking arm.

"No." He rasped, pushing it away. "We…need to save it. We can't waste it."

"But sir-" She started, but stopped when she saw Lucy and Erza standing in the mouth of the cave. She caught sight of Lucy's pink guild mark on her hand, and began to sob with relief.

"You came!" She cried, drawing the attention of the other villagers. They turned their heads lethargically, their faces lighting up when they saw the two mages. "Sir, the mages from Fairy Tail are here!"

"I know Maddie." The middle aged man chuckled weakly, coughing with the effort. "I'm not blind." He raised his hand, and Lucy rushed forward to accept it.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia, and this is my teammate Erza Scarlett. We've come to help." She said gently. The man grasped her hand as tightly as he could, considering his condition.

"My name is Alexander Roke." He said. His voice was frail, yet still held a touch of humor. "I am the mayor of Milder."

"Mr. Mayor-" Erza began, but he held a hand up to stop her.

"Please, call me Alex."

"Very well, Alex. What happened here?" Alex shifted uncomfortably, cringing in pain as he moved his left leg.

"Forgive me for asking," Lucy said, helping him shift into a more comfortable position. "But why don't you pull that out? You could get blood poisoning."

"He won't allow it." The elderly woman said sadly, putting the canteen aside. Alex shook his head, a wry grin on his face.

"We hardly have enough bandages and medical supplies to go around as it is." He said, nodding his thanks to Lucy. "If I pulled this out, it would start to bleed too much, taking up the clean bandages the other survivors need." Lucy squeezed his hand, her face filled with sadness.

"You're a great leader, sir." She told him. Alex smiled, before his body was wracked with coughs. The elderly woman called Maddie pushed him up into an upright position, rubbing his back soothingly. Lucy and Erza glanced at each other, then the other survivors. They were all riddled with serious wounds, which would limit their already few options. Finally, Alex's coughs ceased.

"Thank you Maddie." He said affectionately. He turned to Erza, his eyes clouding over with memories. "To answer your question, it all started around eight days ago, at night. I was awoken by an inhuman screech. At first I thought I was just dreaming, because I had never heard a sound like that in my life." He paused, licking his dry lips. Maddie offered him water, however he turned it away. "Then, I heard it again. And I knew it wasn't a dream. Seized with panic, I rushed to the window, and saw a massive, black form shadowing our town. Several of the buildings were already on fire. As I grabbed my rifle and headed out the front door, I told my wife to grab our son and hide in the basement. Once I was outside, I ran to the nearest burning building, only to have it collapse right in front of my eyes. I heard the horrific screams of people as they burned to death. And I could do nothing." He shook his head, as if he was trying to clear his head of the sound. "The fire was strange. It was blue. And it destroyed things much faster than I had ever seen before. It left enormous craters, killing everyone in a ten mile radius, and could not be extinguished by water." Lucy stiffened, and Erza felt herself seize up with fear. There was only one dragon they knew was capable of that. Alex carried on, oblivious to their reactions. "I watched thousands of people die that night." He swallowed, his voice breaking. "Including my wife and son, both of whom I thought would be safe in the basement." Lucy's eyes shone with unshed tears, gripping his hand even tighter. He tried to speak again, however his grief seemed to prevent him from going on.

"Then, just as quickly as he came, he left." Maddie continued for him, tears streaking down her face. "We gathered the dead bodies, and prepared to bury them. We set up shelters in town, and treated the wounded. We had lost ten thousand people that day. We worked, letting our guard down, buried deep in our own grief. Two nights later, he returned." Erza's eyes widened, and Lucy's free hand flew to her mouth. "That second time was worse than the first. He seemed to be intent on finishing what he started. Destruction rained down on our town once again. I lost my daughter, son in law and my three grandchildren that night."

"Once that attack finished, we realized that we needed help. With so many wounded, and dying we were in no position to flee." Alex said sadly. "We sent out messengers, begging for assistance. No one came. We had no mages, and no idea how to deal with a dragon. I had never seen a dragon before, nevertheless knew they could have such destructive power. We sent out scouts to try and find a close place for us to hide, and find shelter. We waited until the sixth night, when he returned. Again. He lay waste to the town, destroying our camps and creating even more craters. That night was by far the worst." His voice cracked. "Before he came, Milder was an honest town of around thirty thousand inhabitants. The first night we lost ten thousand. The second, we lost fifteen thousand. After the third, only thirty of us remained." He looked at Erza and Lucy, his eyes hard. "We may have not had lost as many that last night. However, can you imagine resurfacing and realizing that you had gone from thirty thousand to thirty? Thirty! The hopelessness that I felt was unbearable. I was lost. I had no idea what to do." He dropped his head. "We evacuated the town, however, the majority of the survivors were seriously injured. Our only option was to hide out in the canyon, which has served as a refuge for us for over a millennia. Three died of their injuries that night. Two more died this morning. Another three died this afternoon, and another died just an hour before you arrived. I feel like I failed. We should have tried to flee to the forest." He paused again. "But, I couldn't leave the ones that could not travel behind, to die alone. I thought if we could just get some medical attention, we could travel by morning. Then, when the first three died, I knew I had deluded myself. There were some that were simply not going to make it. If I had been thinking clearer, I would have already understood that the day before. Now, it's too late for us to flee. By refusing to make the harder choices of being a leader, I have condemned the rest of these people to death."

"Not true sir," a young man of about sixteen spoke. "You did everything you could. There is no one here that blames you of what came to pass, because we didn't want to leave anyone behind either. If anyone has condemned us to death, it is Fiore itself- not you." Alex nodded wearily at his words. He appeared to be too emotionally spent to hold any anger, or resentment. Lucy smiled at the boy's words, agreeing with him wholeheartedly. However, Erza had hardly heard them, for two words from Alex's account were pulsing in her thoughts: _Too late. _She was frozen with fear, her entire body trembling. If it was too late, then…

"Alex," Erza asked urgently, kneeling in front of him. "When was the last attack?"

"Two days ago." Lucy's eyes widened, she turned to Erza.

"Then that means-"

"He's coming tonight," Erza said grimly. "If I know Acnologia, it's that he'll never stop until he has destroyed everything." Lucy checked her watch. It was past five o clock. She stood.

"Excuse us." She said quickly to Alex. She grabbed Erza's arm, and practically dragged her outside the cave. Once they were out of earshot from the villagers, Lucy said,

"Erza, we don't have enough time to get them to safety before nightfall."

"I know."

"What do we do?" Lucy asked, wringing her hands. "We can't abandon them!"

"The only thing we can do." Erza said, quietly. "We're going to need to buy them some time." Lucy went white.

"You mean, take him head on?" Erza nodded wordlessly, her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach.

"We can buy them half an hour, perhaps an hour at best, if we can keep his attention and attacks focused on us. That will be enough time for the able to help the injured into the forest, and into safety."

"How do you know he'll find them here?" Lucy asked. Erza pointed, the remains of the town just above, on the right ledge of the canyon.

"Their hiding spot isn't far enough away from the city. He'll smell them." Lucy was quiet, noticing the tortured look on her friend's face.

"Erza?" A dam broke within her.

"I'm sorry Lucy! I would have never have taken this mission if I had known if it was an actual dragon- especially Acnologia! I thought, I thought-"

"It doesn't matter." Lucy said comfortingly. "We were dealt these cards Erza, and now we need to figure out how to play them." She looked to the sky. "These people needed help. And since no one else seems to want to help them, that leaves us. It's fine Erza, really." She smiled genuinely at Erza, who just gaped at her. Lucy had grown stronger over the years, in more ways than one. She grasped Lucy's hand, in a sign of camaraderie.

"Then I am honoured to fight alongside you." She said firmly.

"And I, to you." Lucy replied.


	4. Five years past II

Okay.

I know I said I would post yesterday...but, I wasn't happy with how the second part was written so I ended up redoing the majority of it. It took a lot longer to rewrite and edit it than I thought it would...and by the end I was literally ready to tear my hair out. But, I think it is more or less acceptable now, and I hope you enjoy the final installment of the mission that took Lucy away from Fairy Tail!

Thank you everyone for your amazing reviews! Ah! You guys are seriously the best. And don't worry- all will be revealed in good time *cough cough, maybe next chapter?* ;). Or maybe not. Hopefully, I'll update again this weekend :D.

Also, just to double clarify: This chapter is a continuation of the last one, and takes place five years in the past :).

Now: Chapter 4!

Enjoy :)

* * *

Lucy and Erza re-entered the cave. Some people pulled up crates for them to sit on. They glanced at each other, before Erza began.

"We know what is targeting you." The mayor's eyes brightened.

"Really? Does that mean you can stop it?"

"No. No one can stop him." Erza said flatly. "He is known as Acnologia. He is a bloodthirsty, tyrant dragon who is extremely powerful." Alex deflated.

"Then all is lost." Lucy shook her head.

"Not all is lost. Erza and I can hold him off for thirty minutes. If we start preparing now, that will give you enough time to reach the forest." She looked around. "Your injuries are serious; however, everyone here is capable of walking, especially if the younger and less injured help out." Alex's eyebrows furrowed.

"Hold him off? But that means-"

"It may happen, and it may not happen." Lucy said, looking down at her folded hands. "But, it is our duty as people, and as mages of Fairy Tail to make sure that you and your people can get to safety." Alex shook his head desperately.

"I can't have more deaths on my conscious." He said. "There must be another way!"

"In order to buy you enough time, Lucy and I must fight until our last breath." Erza responded. "If we do that, there's a higher chance we can buy you more than thirty minutes. We'll keep his attention and attacks on us, as you make for the forest. Once you take shelter beneath the trees, they will mask your scent, and Acnologia will never bother you again." Alex looked around.

"The forest is around a 3 hour walk away for a healthy man. Plus, we need to get everyone out of the canyon, which will be no easy feat itself." Erza stood, brushing off her skirt.

"Then, we better start right away, shouldn't we?"

* * *

The two mages spent the next hour prepping the survivors, and helping them out of the canyon. The mayor insisted on being the last one, ordering everyone to make for the forest as soon as they were out of the canyon. The teenage boy who had spoken before, Nicholas, stayed behind to help Alex catch up with the others. Alex had very little energy, not to mention his leg was causing him obvious agony. It took a little trial and error, but finally, Lucy and Erza (with the help of Nicholas) managed to pull him onto the ledge. They gave him a few minutes to catch his breath, Lucy anxiously checking her watch the entire time. Finally, he motioned to Nicholas he was ready to stand. Nicholas helped him up, drawing his arm over his shoulders. Once he had righted himself, Alex looked at Lucy and Erza, his gray eyes sad.

"I will never, ever forget what you two have done for us." He told them fiercely. "I swear to you, I will not rest until your actions have been recognized by all of Fiore. And, if you happen to survive, then I will spend the rest of my life working to repay you."

"There is no need." Lucy told him softly. "Your thanks is good enough." She glanced at the sun. "You should go." Nicholas nodded, shifting Alex into a more secure standing position.

"You two better come back alive, you hear?" He threatened, before turning away, leading a limping Alex towards the forest. Once they were far enough away, Erza turned to Lucy.

"What time is it?" Lucy checked her watch.

"Almost six- thirty."

"Well…what do you want to do while we wait?"

* * *

They ended up talking. Not about their deepest, darkest secrets, but memories. Special memories from Fairy Tail, and the missions they had gone on.

"And then Happy was so confused when we told him to go fish!" Lucy laughed. "He couldn't understand that it was only a card game, and we weren't literally going fishing. No matter how many times we tried to explain it to him, he just couldn't wrap his mind around it!" They both laughed loudly.

"Do you remember the time Gray stripped in front of that one girl?" Erza asked. Lucy's eyes gleamed.

"Yeah! He was trying to say something because he thought she was 'so pretty', and while he was floundering around for words, he stripped right in front of her!"

"She was so scarred."

"She probably needed therapy after that. A strange man just randomly taking off all his clothes in front of her? I know I would!"

"Natsu wouldn't stop teasing him for a week."

"Yeah...they brawled a lot more too." Lucy giggled. "I was surprised you didn't break it up."

"I was having too much fun at the expense of Gray." Erza smirked. "That was the first time I had ever heard him say a girl was 'really pretty' and blush- I just had to let Natsu give him a hard time for that."

"Natsu gives everyone a hard time." Lucy pointed out. "He sneaks into my room at night all the time."

"Lock your window."

"I tried! He smashed it."

"You should have come straight to me! I would have put him in his place."

"I'll keep that in mind." Lucy replied, shaking her head. "I should have though! If anyone can get Natsu to behave, it's you."

"You could as well. You just need to be stern with them."

"Uh, no. I can't beat them up like you can. I'm pretty sure him and Gray wouldn't take me seriously."

"Perhaps. Then I would intervene." She looked at the rapidly descending sun. "What time is it?"

"A little before nine. Think we should get ready?" Erza nodded.

"Yes." The two mages stood. Lucy pulled her whip from her belt, and Erza re-equipped into one of her most deadly armours. They stalked to the ledge, waiting.

"You ready?" Erza asked. Lucy nodded.

"A certain pink haired pyrohead taught me to never give up." She said, unfurling her whip. "So yes. I'm ready to kick this dragon's ass." Erza shook her head.

"You've been hanging out with Natsu too much." Lucy laughed, but didn't respond, her eyes trained on the horizon. All too soon, a black speck appeared, visible even in the night sky.

"Here he comes." Erza muttered. She felt Lucy tense next to her, experimentally snapping her whip.

"We have to succeed." Lucy said, her voice hard.

"And we will." Erza promised. They watched as the speck hurtled towards them. His yellow eyes glowed with cruelty, which became more and more evident as he drew closer and closer. He landed in the canyon heavily, caused the earth around them to shake.

"Get back!" Erza yelled, throwing herself backwards as the ledge they were standing on crumbled beneath their feet. They hardly hesitated to push themselves back up. They knew with this enemy, even the slightest pause could end them. Erza gripped her weapon tightly, as she stared down the object of her nightmares. One quick glance at Lucy told her she was thinking the same thing. Acnologia snapped, his jaws just barely missing them. Lucy took the first opportunity to land the first blow, striking her whip as hard as she could on his eye. She rolled to the side, as she screamed,

"Five after nine!" Erza nodded, before rushing at the black dragon. She slammed her sword as hard as she could on his neck- and the blade shattered. With a cry, she was thrown several feet back, landing heavily on her left arm.

"Erza!" Lucy screamed, yanking two keys from her pouch. "Open! Gate of the Lion! The Goat!" Capricorn and Loke appeared next to her. Loke's face whitened in disbelief.

"Are you kidding Lucy? Acnologia? This is suicide!"

"We need to protect the villagers!" Lucy ordered, ignoring him completely. "You're either with me, or you're not." Loke swore loudly, before leaping towards the beast.

"Then we'll just make sure not to lose! Regulus Impact!" He landed a blow on Acnologia's face. The dragon shook him off, sending him flying into the rocks.

"Loke!" Lucy yelled, as Capricorn charged. He grabbed Erza, yanking her into a standing position before swiftly kicking Acnologia in the eye. Acnologia bellowed in pain, swiping at the humanoid goat, who swiftly dodged him.

"Aim for his eyes!" He called over to Erza, who nodded in comprehension.

"Alright!" She re-equipped, brandishing her new weapon. "Let's blind this bastard!" She dove at the dark dragon's face. He saw her coming, and moved at the last second. Erza spun in the air, driving her sword up the dragon's nose, before free falling to the ground. Acnologia roared in pain, and moved to step on her. Erza rolled on the ground, trying frantically to avoid his massive feet. A flash of light from above, and brief pause allowed her to escape to the side of the canyon wall, where she began to free climb the rock swiftly.

"We can't let him escape the canyon!" She shouted, her scarlet hair blowing in the wind. "We have the advantage of being able to stab him in the face from the ledge. Do not let him fly!"

"Right! Sagittarius!" Lucy opened her third gate, the costumed man materializing beside her. "I want you to shoot as many arrows as you can. Aim for his eyes!"

"Yes ma'am!" Sagittarius saluted. As he began his barrage of arrows, Lucy raced to Erza, helping her up onto the ledge. Erza immediately jumped from the ledge onto his back, summoning her third weapon of the night. She began to whack at Acnologia's wings, trying desperately to leave a mark. She couldn't even scratch him. Based on how his attention was still focused on Lucy, Loke and Capricorn, she guessed he couldn't even feel it.

"Nine- fifteen!" Lucy shouted, her words nearly lost in Acnologia's fury. "Damn!" She raised her key, opening her fourth gate. "Taurus!"

"Lucy stop!" Erza yelled. "Don't push yourself like that!" Lucy ignored her.

"Go at him with everything you got, Taurus!"

"Mooooooo!" Taurus lunged forward, savagely swinging his axe. Of course, he hardly made a dent on Acnologia. However, he effectively got his attention. Acnologia's mouth opened wide, charging his dragon roar.

"Stop him!" Erza hollered, as she raced up his neck, hitting him as hard as she could on the way up.

"Taurus, close his mouth!" Lucy screamed. "Capricorn! Loke!" Somehow, the strength of the three celestial spirits working together managed to yank the dragon's mouth shut.

"I can't believe that worked." Lucy muttered. "Sagittarius! Now!"

"Yes ma'am!" The archer released three arrows- which bounced off Acnologia's eyelid.

"He blinked!" Erza said in disbelief, from her place on top of Acnologia's head. She started repeatedly hitting Acnologia on the head. "Open your eyes, dammit!" Acnologia tensed, before letting out a mighty roar, throwing the three celestial spirits holding his mouth shut fifteen feet back. Lucy and Sagittarius were also knocked over with the force of his roar. Erza flipped over, landing right in front of him, her posture ready for battle. Acnologia growled, opening his mouth again.

"Shit." Erza cursed, rushing forward. This was probably the stupidest idea she had ever had in her life.

"Erza!" Lucy cried, watching in horror as her friend charged right into Acnologia's open mouth. Raising her blade with a yell, Erza slashed the dragon's tongue twice, before leaping out of the way as his jaws snapped shut. He began to unfurl his wings, his slightly damaged eyes dark with anger.

"Nine twenty five!" Lucy hollered.

"Don't let him fly!" Erza yelled. "We're going to lose our advantage!"

"Taurus! Loke! Capricorn! Sagittarius!" Lucy called out. "Give everything you got on one of his wings!" The four celestial spirits managed to push themselves up from the ground, shaking bits of rubble off them. Together, they attacked his right wing- and were promptly thrown off. Loke fell against Acnologia's side, hard. Lucy screamed as she watched Loke's flesh rip as he slid against the black dragon's scales.

"LOKE!" Lucy picked up his gate key, closing his gate before he could hit the ground. "Taurus, Capricorn, Sagittarius! Are you guys alright?" There was no response. Lucy scrambled to the ledge, not caring how close she was getting to the dark monster. She looked down, and nearly cried. The three remaining stellar spirits were seriously hurt, with freely bleeding wounds, and their limbs being crushed under rubble. Tearfully, Lucy closed their gates.

"It'll be okay Lucy!" Erza shouted, the wind from Acnologia's flapping wings drowning out her voice. "What's the time?" Lucy checked her watch.

"Nine thirty!" She hollered back, her body sagging with relief. However, the battle had only been going on for thirty minutes, and Lucy had already lost four of her most powerful celestial spirits. Her magic was low, and she was covered with scrapes and bruises. Erza hardly looked much better. She had re-quipped so many times, her own magic level was rapidly falling as well.

"We did it!" Erza said weakly. "Now let's buy them some more time!" Lucy nodded, readying her whip.

"Until our last breath!" She said, quoting Erza from before. Erza nodded, re-equipping into a less magic requiring outfit. Acnologia landed in front of them, no longer trapped in the canyon. He snarled at them, clearly intending to kill them as quickly as possible. Lucy struck out her whip. It extended, so that it hit him across the face. Erza leaped upwards, balancing herself on his back again. Acnologia twisted his head around, swiping at her with his massive claws.

Everything else went in slow motion.

Erza felt herself losing her balance. She jumped backwards to avoid his claw, however, when she landed, her right foot slipped. Failing to right herself, she tumbled to the side. She landed hard on Acnologia's scales; much like Loke had done only minutes earlier.

"ERZA!" She heard Lucy scream. That's when the pain started. As she slid against Acnologia's scales, she literally felt her skin, muscle and sinew shred as she fell. She tried to use her sword to push herself away. However, her right side seemed to be completely paralyzed, preventing her from finding the strength to do so. Finally, she fell free of the black dragon's razor scales with her side burning in agony, causing her vision to rapidly fade. She vaguely heard Lucy screaming as she braced herself for the inevitable impact with the ground. Except, she landed on a something soft and pink.

She blacked out.

* * *

A few minutes later, a gust of wind against her face slowly brought her back to reality. She blinked, waiting for the black spots to disappear from her vision.

"Get back!" A shrill scream cut through her fuzzy head. She raised her head. The celestial wizard was the only thing standing in between her and the black dragon. Lucy was lashing at it repeatedly with her whip, while flanked by Aries and Scorpio.

"Lucy…" She whispered. She moved her right arm, with the intent of pushing herself up. However, as she flexed her muscles, a burning pain shot through her, so intense she nearly lost consciousness once again. She fell back in the puddle of her own blood, wheezing, her left arm tightly wrapped around her wound. Lucy heard her, and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes brimming with worry and fear. She didn't see the tail coming.

"LOOK OUT!" Erza hollered, watching in terror as Acnologia's tail connected with Lucy's small body. It sent her flying off to the side, causing her to land heavily on her back. Erza clenched her free fist, crawling forward slightly. She saw Lucy stir, shuddering with pain as she tried to stand. Her skin was tinged with grey, a clear sign of extreme exhaustion. She had summoned a total of six celestial spirits during the battle, which far surpassed her previous maximum of three. Once Lucy was down, Acnologia's gaze turned to Erza. He growled when he saw that she was still moving. He took a step towards her, his footsteps shaking the ground. Erza shut her eyes. There was no way that she could defend herself in this state.

"Hey! I'm your opponent!" Erza's eyes shot open. Lucy was standing off to the side, her entire body shaking with the effort. Her whip was clenched in both hands, raised and ready to strike.

"Lucy stop!" Erza pleaded. However again, the celestial mage paid her no heed. Gritting her teeth, Erza pushed herself into a sitting position, nearly vomiting from the action.

"Aries, Scorpio!" Lucy commanded, her voice hoarse. "Combine your strength and go for his face!" It was the only place they could hit him that would have any effect. Unfortunately, Acnologia had figured out their strategy long ago. All they could do was try and catch him off guard, for the dragon was completely impenetrable on all other areas of his body.

However, the dark dragon was cunning. Taking him off guard would be just about as easy as using the back of a spoon to peel a potato. It just didn't seem to be possible. But, Erza could tell from Lucy's stance that she refused to accept that. She really was going to fight to the end. The utter loathing and hate in her eyes spoke volumes of her desire to cause Acnologia the same suffering he had inflicted on all of the villagers. Those feelings alone, were what allowed her to stand. Erza felt a stab of pride for her friend, before those feelings morphed into increasing anxiety. Despite her resolve, Lucy was stumbling more often, and her whip movements were becoming slow and clumsy. Her celestial spirits tried to compensate for her failing strength, however, their attacks were just as ineffective as all their other ones had been. It was as if as they grew weaker and weaker, Acnologia grew even stronger.

Lucy cried out when the heartless dragon smacked away Aries and Scorpio, causing them to hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Raising their keys, Lucy closed their gates, leaving only her and Acnologia on the battle field. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself, quashing her fear. Erza needed her. She may not be as strong or courageous as her beloved teammates, but she refused to stand down until Erza was safe. She had no idea how she was going to accomplish such an ambitious goal. However, this dragon had caused enough hurt, which added fuel to her already raging fire. Taking a deep breath, Lucy screamed at him,

"This ends here. I am not going to let you hurt anyone anymore!" She struck Acnologia purposefully with her whip. Acnologia looked at her, his eyes burning. Lucy held her ground, bending down only to pick up a rock. It looked like this battle was going to be rock and whip against magic and claw. It didn't take a talented gambler to know the odds of who would win. At that moment, the notion was something Erza was painfully aware of. She tried to stand again, however, her wound had weakened her entire right side, causing her to collapse again. She ground her teeth, tears of frustration pricking at her eyes. She was a horrible friend. Her teammate was out there, battling the definition of a nightmare, and she couldn't even stand by her side.

"Come on!" She hissed to herself, dragging herself up using a nearby rock. She fought against her muscles whims, and her body's blaring warnings to rest. She refused to leave her friend on the battle field alone. "LUCY!" She screamed, as Lucy stumbled trying to dodge a blow from Acnologia's claws. She hit the ground with a cry, her whip clattering out of her reach. She was completely open to Acnologia's next attack. Erza began to scream her name hysterically, pushing herself off the rock to run to her. To save her. Lucy tried to crawl away, but she was too slow. Acnologia's claws closed over her entire body just as Erza reached her. Diving to the ground, she snatched up Lucy's hand. Lucy clung to her tightly, her face scrunched in terror.

"Don't let go!" She begged, trying her best to push herself out of Acnologia's iron grip. He started to bring her upwards. Erza regarded her friend's face, seeing it fall to an expression of defeat. She stopped trying to free herself, as if she finally understood it was completely futile. Tears began to cascade down her face. Erza began to shake her head quickly, feeling her own tears beginning to start. There was no way this was happening. This wasn't right.

"Hold on!" Erza said desperately, pulling hard. "I'm not going to let go. I'm here Lucy. We'll get out of this." With a small smile, Lucy let go of Erza's hand as Acnologia took her up even higher.

"Goodbye Erza." She whispered, before her fingers slipped through Erza's grasp. She was yanked violently away. Acnologia spread his great wings, beating them powerfully as he took off into the night sky. Erza still had her hand outstretched, her fingers feeling painfully cold. She trembled violently, thick tears washing the dirt and grime from her face.

"LUCY!" She shrieked, taking a few steps forward before collapsing. "LUCY! LUCY! LUCY!" Her voice echoed about the canyon, taking it far, however failing to garner a response. She slumped forward, resting her elbows on the rocky ground.

"No. No." She said quietly. "No." Her shoulders began to shake with the force of her sobs as she struggled to come to terms with what had just occurred. She had no idea how long she remained in that position, the rocks cutting into her knees and arms. She was later aroused by a slight touch on her shoulder, who gently pulled her up and into strong, steady arms.

"Jellal?" She whimpered. The blue haired mage tightened his grip on her.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice saturated with worry.

"L-Lucy was taken by Acnologia." She managed to get out, bringing on a fresh round of tears. "I tried to stop him…but I couldn't. H-He was too strong."

"Acnologia was here?!" Jellal exclaimed, his gaze shooting to his teammates Ultear and Meredy.

"So the rumours _were_ true." Ultear said softly. Jellal clenched his jaw, before turning back to Erza.

"Did you say he took her?" Erza nodded.

"He went towards the mountains. I tried, but I couldn't follow." Jellal glanced down, for the first time, noticing the wound that was still dripping blood onto the ground and all over his cloak. He cursed loudly, helping Erza up.

"Meredy, take her back to the village and keep her safe. Ultear, come with me. We're going to see if we can track this monster and bring Lucy back." Both women nodded, and moved quickly to carry out their respective duties. Meredy carefully took Erza from Jellal's arms, as he and Ultear began to race towards the canyon. Erza's head dropped forward, knowing that as strong as he was, Jellal would probably fail.

Lucy was out of their reach now. She was gone.

* * *

Any feedback is much appreciated :) Please R&R!


	5. Base Camp B

Okay. I am so so so sorry I didn't update as planned. I went away on vacation last minute (to Cedar Point- which was AWESOME) and just got back the other day. Again, I apologize profusely, and I'll do my best to keep my updates on schedule from now on.

So. I put all my other work on hold to work on this chapter. I was so effin excited to write it! Don't get me wrong, I loved writing the two previous chapters as well, but now, we finally get to move on with the storyline! :D Also, I'm planning on going back after this chapter and fix my grammar in chapter 4.

Again- YOU GUYS ARE FREAKING AMAZING! I can't believe this story has gotten 25 reviews and over 900 hits! That's far more than I ever thought I would get so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your love, support and feedback. Seriously. You guys are incredible. I promise to work my ass off so I don't disappoint :).

Okay. So. Now that I've pretty much declared by undying love to you guys, let's move on to chapter 5!

* * *

It was noon of the following day when the members of Fairy Tail boarded a specialized train that would take them to the military base camp. Inside the train, the air was heavy with trepidation, for the base camp just so happened to be built on the land previously occupied by the former city of Milder.

When the authorities and rescue crews had finally arrived to investigate the ruins of Milder, it was evident to everyone that the town would never flourish again. The city was covered in gaping craters, each easily having a diameter of ten kilometres (if not more). The buildings were beyond repair; therefore, their remains had to be stripped down and further burned to ash. The symbolism of this notion was not missed by many.

The entire ordeal of cleaning up the city was emotionally draining on all. Even those in the military with the most decorated war stories had to look away from the heart wrenching sight of the thirty thousand charred bodies littering the ground of the entire city. Due to the immense number of them, it was impossible to devote time and effort towards each burial. Thus, simple tombstones were made and a cemetery was hastily constructed in an area not far from the city. The King of Fiore held a memorial ceremony in Crocus and established a holiday that would be dedicated to the people of Milder: those who had lost their lives, and those who had survived.

After the town had been cleared of the bodies and rubble, higher ranked military officials and the magic council arrived to conduct their own investigation. They soon realized that this land embodied the perfect site for a military base. The King of Fiore agreed, and within three months, thick, magic resistant walls had been constructed around an advanced military base camp. It was equipped with the latest technology and the best training programs. Here, Fiore troops grew strong and capable. The entire camp was run by a tall, broad shouldered man named Ethan Kain. He was ranked with the honor of general, and rightly so. Kain had experienced many wars over the course of his long, successful military career. He was a firm, yet compassionate leader who truly only wanted what was best for his troops and country. People who had met him claimed that they had never met a more upstanding, honest man. He was highly regarded in many parts of the world, not only in Fiore, giving him an unexpected 'celebrity status,' which bought invitations to lavish parties and get togethers. He turned them all down, preferring the atmosphere of his base, further solidifying the fact that he was a military man through and through.

Makarov had worked with Kain on multiple occasions throughout the years, bestowing fierce loyalty and friendship between the two. This allowed Makarov to greet the general with familiarly once Fairy Tail disembarked the train.

"Well, well, isn't it the great General Kain himself?" Kain bent down, grasping Markarov's hand firmly.

"It's nice to see you again Makarov Dreyer. I'm sorry it had to be under such upsetting circumstances." His eyes glanced behind the short mage. "Is that your guild behind you?" Makarov nodded proudly.

"Yes. This is Fairy Tail."

"Excellent. Welcome to Base Camp B, young mages." He straightened up, clasping his arms behind his back, assuming his role as a military leader during a great crisis. "Now, your tents are located in the third block in the settlement. There aren't enough to go around for everyone to have their own, so everyone will have at least two people per tent. After you are settled, there is a mandatory debriefing taking place in the central tent, which I expect you all to attend." He emphasized. "If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. I shall do my best to answer or clarify anything that you do not understand." He nodded at the guild. "Follow me please." The guild slowly trailed behind the general, vaguely listening to the chatter of Makarov and Kain. Gray was slouching, with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He glanced around him, slightly daunted by the huge tents and soldiers training all around him. A massive pole hung the red Fiore flag, visible from any point in the camp. As they walked further into the camp, he saw his fellow wizards battling it out, as well racks upon racks of swords and other weapons. He would never ever speak his thoughts and feelings aloud, but the entire set up of this place made the upcoming war seem much more real.

And for the first time in awhile, Gray felt a cold pit of fear settle into the base of his stomach.

* * *

_It's almost poetic_ Erza thought wryly, that the war would take place where her best friend had died. She clutched Jellal's hand as they followed General Kain and Makarov.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jellal asked softly, concern on his handsome face.

"The usual." She sighed. "I haven't been back here since…" Jellal nodded in comprehension, squeezing her hand tightly.

"It'll be okay. You're not alone anymore." He said. Erza smiled at him, warmth filling her heart at his words. She looked at him, before glancing behind her, smiling when she saw the members of her guild ambling behind her.

"I know." She said, standing straighter. Fairy Tail was her family. And if there was one thing being apart of this incredible guild had taught her, was that you could always depend on family.

"Are you scared?" Jellal asked hesitantly.

"It doesn't feel real yet." Erza replied honestly. "They haven't even sent out an official declaration yet, have they?"

"They're dark guilds. Something tells me they're not going to be a particular stickler on the rules." Erza nodded, casting her eyes to the side, observing a group of soldiers practicing hand to hand combat.

"If this war is against mages, how are these people ever going to stand a chance?" Erza asked Jellal quietly.

"I'm sure the dark guilds will have some non-wizard folk on their side." Jellal replied, his eyes looking sad. "But, most have joined the military for reason. I highly doubt that any will stand by while our country is on the brink of war and destruction."

"They're still going to need a lot more than heart to beat one skilled in the art of magic." Erza said, tearing her eyes away from the training soldiers.

"All we can do, is what we are able to." Jellal said, releasing her hand to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Based on our guild's track record, I'm sure that will be quite a lot."

* * *

Natsu slunk into the central tent along with Wendy, Carla, Happy and Gray. Once inside, his eyes widened for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. The tent was incredibly massive, and could easily encompass all the members of the different guilds that had arrived, plus the soldiers that had already been on the base. Long tables stretched across the room, with a modestly sized stage at the front of the room. The room was abuzz with overlapping voices, as people talked with each other and greeted strangers; until General Kain called for attention. The whispers died down, faces turning towards the General's form on an elevated stage. He smiled warmly at the room before continuing:

"Now that our last guild has arrived, I would like to officially welcome everyone to Base Camp B. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for coming, even though it is a well understood fact that war is unpredictable, and depending on the strength of our enemy, there are a few of you that just simply won't make it." He paused, his eyes glittering. "but you can be sure, that I will do everything in my power to prevent that."

"To begin, I would like to address the timeless phrase, 'leave no man behind.'" He glanced around the room, his voice strong, sure and enticing. "In recent years, the military has discouraged this sort of mantra, saying that a few deaths for the greater good is an honorable course of action. Even though that statement has resounding, solid logic behind it, I want to ask everyone to forget it." He stepped away from the podium, however, his voice still carried powerfully through the tent. "I want everyone here, to raise their hands if you would leave a member of their squadron or guild behind during a crisis?" No hands were raised. Kain smiled brilliantly. "Now, raise your hands if you would try to save them and execute the mission, no matter what the cost?"

Everyone's hand went up in the room, each person making steady eye contact with the general.

"This is why I want you to forget this saying. It is clear that course of action is the most natural for everyone, and on the battlefield, there is no time, nor chance for second guessing. Thinking about 'the greater good' sometimes can be detrimental to the soldier, or mage, and actually prevent them from carrying out the mission successfully. On the battlefield, you can't spend your time mulling over philosophical questions- you have to act and thick _quickly_, which is why it is always beneficial to do what comes naturally. This is why many don't have what it takes to be soldiers, or great wizards for that matter. Now, I asked each and every one of you to come, is because I _know_ you have the natural train of thought that protects your own, yet still gets the job done. As your commanding officer, it isn't my job to push a new method of thinking onto you. My job is to work with what comes natural to you guys, to work with what you already have inside of you. This way, we will come together as one giant unified force, which will help us win this war. We need to watch out for each other, cover each other's back. Not only is that the most honorable path, but it will give us a distinct advantage over the enemy, whose members often only care about saving the flesh on their own hide." A chuckle sounded through the hall at his words. Kain returned to the podium, bracing both of his hands on it. "This war is probably going to go down as one of the greatest in history. Not only is it our ultimate stand against the evil that plagues Fiore, but it also represents the unity of magic and non-magic. Each one has crucially important qualities that are desperately needed for a force like this. Wizards, I want you to get to know the soldiers. Soldiers, I want you to get to know the wizards. I want you to train together, eat together, hell, even sleep together if it doesn't impact your judgement and focus." Someone in the room cat called loudly, earning more laughter. Kain grinned, before continuing.

"Get your heads out of the gutter. From this day forward, you are all apart of a mature, upstanding army. Innuendos should no longer amuse you. Basically, I want all of you in this room to become a family. If you have rivalries, set them aside, work them out in a way that is beneficial to everyone in this room. You can no longer think of yourself as a single entity. Your actions will impact everyone else in this room, therefore, you have to see the big picture instead of focusing on one tiny, smudge of paint." His face went serious, his thick eyebrows slanting downwards.

"Alright. Now that we've covered the expectations, I will provide you with all the intel that my team and I have managed to gather leading up to this point." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "The other side is lead, by a mage named Zeref." A projector shone a huge photo of Zeref onto the wall just behind Kain. Everyone in Fairy Tail tensed, along with various others in the hall. "Zeref is a master of the black arts, a very, very dangerous kind of magic. He is almost at his full power once again, and is therefore classified as an extreme enemy of Earthland. Years ago, he and Acnologia laid waste to the world. Based on that history, it isn't too farfetched to suggest that the two will team up again." The slide changed from Zeref, to a rather terrifying picture of Acnologia. Gasps sounded, as Natsu clenched his hand into a fist. _Lucy._

"So far, Zeref as gathered every dark and illegal guild together, with the promise of revenge and eternal glory. Over the years, many of you have gone on missions and foiled the plans of these various guilds making them easily susceptible to Zeref's offer." He sighed. "This is why unity on our side is so important. I'm not going to sugar coat it- we are outnumbered. Furthermore, together, the dark guilds will have a power that is much stronger than any of us are accustomed to dealing with, and they will not hold back when they attack. They will attack with the aim to kill. But, I look at everyone in this room, and I see an inner power, a strength that the other side is simply not capable of possessing. You consider your squadrons, or your guilds family. Again, I'm asking you to extend that type of treatment to everyone in this room. I want you to take care of each other. By doing this, we gain an advantage." He paused once again, his eyes scanning the room.

"Even though evidence and analysis shows that Zeref will not participate in the smaller battles, I want you guys to be ready for anything. However, if you EVER come across Zeref on your own, you are not to challenge him. Ever. I don't care how it will affect your reputation. I want you to run as fast as your legs can carry you, screaming like a princess, if you must. With the right training, everyone in this room will be capable of taking on Zeref in a _team_. Realize that Zeref has had centuries to strengthen and perfect his technique, which makes him a precarious adversary." He glared at everyone in the room, striving to make his point and the consequences clear.

"In the event that _both_ Zeref and Acnologia show up to a battle, we have a plan for that. My second hand man, Commander Alexander Roke," He gestured to the man with salt and pepper hair behind him, "has been searching for years for a way to kill Acnologia. As many of you know, Roke was once the mayor of Milder. After the attack he spent years trying to unearth a way to destroy this monstrous dragon. Thanks to his dedication, we are on the brink of finding a solid, concrete plan to kill Acnologia." Whispers began to echo around the room at Kain's revelation. Natsu, Wendy and Gray glanced at each other.

"People have been searching for years for a way to kill Acnologia." Gray muttered. "This sounds pretty dangerous." Natsu opened his mouth to respond, however Kain raised his hands to call for order.

"We will discuss this plan more fully once everyone has had a chance to settle in and train more. However, I can tell you that we will be making a task force of ten people that will leave and begin to hunt down Acnologia. We will be making rounds during your practices to see who is the most qualified. If you have any more questions, seek out someone wearing this medallion." He raised the trinket that was hanging around his neck. It was a shining golden disk that had the Fiore Crest carved into it. "This means that they are apart of the elite team that helps me run this camp. They will be more than happy to answer any of your questions. Thank you." A polite applause resounded as he stepped back from the podium. Roke quickly whispered something into Kain's ear. Kain started, clapping his hands together to get everyone's attention once again.

"Once last thing. Could the Fairy Tail stay behind for a few minutes?"

"Man!" Natsu complained, as he watched everyone else file out of the tent.

"It's probably because we're the last ones to arrive." Gray grouched. "Stupid Makarov." At last, the central tent emptied, leaving only the Fairy Tail guild behind. General Kain and Commander Roke climbed down the stairs of the stage, before making their way over to the table section where Fairy Tail was gathered. Kain clasped his hands behind his back, and straightened his posture.

"I'll make this as quick as possible, but I assure you, this is something you'll want to hear." His hazel eyes surveyed them. "The reason we asked you to stay behind, is because while searching for Acnologia, we found some information we feel like you need to know." He said quietly. Commander Roke nodded.

"It's about Lucy Heartfilia." A dead silence settled over the guild. Natsu froze, his dark eyes wide. What could they possibly have to say about Lucy?

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia perched on the edge of the canyon, inhaling the musky scent of the desert through her nose. She plucked a nearby flowery looking weed, examining it as she spun it between her fingers. There was something about this place that was so unbelievably peaceful, despite the horrific memories it held.

"Lucy?" She turned, smiling brightly at her partner, a bronze furred, blue eyed Exceed named Holly. Lucy had found her around four years ago, badly hurt after her clan was destroyed. She had unwaveringly nursed her back to health, and the two had been inseparable since then. Lucy couldn't imagine walking through life without her by her side. _This is what Natsu probably felt about Happy_. She thought, before pushing the thought to the back of her mind. Thoughts about Natsu would distract her. During a times like these, she had to focus.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you go to the debriefing?" Lucy shrugged.

"General Kain and I agreed that my presence would have interrupted it. Me making an appearance after supposedly being dead for years may cause a bit of a stir." She leaned back on her hands, reveling in the sun's rays on her face. "Besides, I know everything."

"Fairy Tail's here?" Lucy nodded, her eyes clouding over.

"Yeah. I saw them arrive this morning." Seeing her old guildmates walking off the train had been a shock to her system. As soon as she had seen pink hair, panic had seized her and she fled. It wasn't out of a desire _not_ to see them, it was out of _fear._ She had been presumed dead by them for over five years. When they found out she was alive, she had absolutely no idea how they were going to react. Of course, she had constantly dreamed of the day she would be reunited with them, however, she knew things were rarely that simple. It was highly likely she would be met with anger and questions. Anger that she didn't want to face, and questions she wasn't ready to answer. Holly put a paw on her arm comfortingly. Lucy scratched her behind the ear, eliciting a loud purring sound from her favourite cat.

"It'll be okay Lucy." Holly told her firmly. "I'll be with you. And I'll scratch all their eyes out if they're mean." Her striking blue eyes rose to meet Lucy's coffee brown ones. "What are you doing to do?" Lucy looked away, casting her gaze back to the canyon. She had run into Ethan Kain and Alexander Roke after spending weeks lost in the desert. She and Holly had been severely malnourished and weak. Roke had blessedly recognized her immediately and they bought her back to the base camp where she and Holly were able to rest and recuperate. She gave them a vague account of her time away, and in return, she was offered a place on the army. The setup was extremely ideal, therefore she accepted it without hesitation.

"Take it in stride I supposed. We can't let it deter us from anything." Holly nodded, leaping up to perch on Lucy's shoulder, gazing out into the canyon with her.

"Like I said. I'll beat them up if they bother you too much." Lucy laughed aloud.

"Thanks Holly." Her heart thumped loudly in anticipation. She had missed her friends at the guild desperately, especially Natsu. She fisted her hands, the stem of the weed she was holding crumbling in her grip. A huge part of her screamed at her to run to them, embrace them, apologize and tell them everything. However, the much smaller, logical part of her told her that wasn't possible. She had other responsibilities now. She fingered the back of the long, thick silver chain around her neck.

She would be lucky if they even ever wanted to see her again.

The thought nearly ripped her in half.


	6. Reunion

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys are honestly the best people in the world, and you are an unending source of inspiration for me to continue this story.

Oh, and this chapter has a lot of cursing/swearing/bad language/potty words/whatever you call it in it. Just a heads up for people who don't appreciate it : )

And nowwwwwww: Chapter 6

* * *

Silence settled over the tent. The members of Fairy Tail leaned forward, now hanging onto Kain and Roke's every word. Erza stood, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"What about Lucy?" She asked harshly. "Do you mean to tell us that you found her body? How she was tortured? When she died?" She glared at the two men, not caring that one of them had become one of her closest friends. "Do you mean to tell us this to increase our fury towards the enemy? Is this some kind of sick joke to you?" Jellal tried to pull her down, but she shook him off. "No. I want to hear an explanation. Immediately." Natsu felt his body freeze at Erza's accusations. Wendy put her palm on her older brother figure's back, rubbing it soothingly.

"I agree with Scarlett." Gajeel also stood, his face black with anger. "I'll have you know, that I combed through every single motherfucking nook and cranny within a hundred miles around this godforsaken place. Pinky there," He jabbed his thumb towards Natsu, "looked for over a year. An entire fucking _year._ You have no idea what her death has done to us. I'll have you know, I won't hesitate to beat you into the fucking _ground_ if you can't give us a damn good reason why you're bringing her up." Levy put a hand on his bicep to calm him, her eyes also filled with distrust.

"Spit it out." Natsu said quietly. Heads whipped towards him. The fire dragon slayer, whom they thought would be the most easily provoked, was sitting quietly. But, with his sparking fists and cold black eyes, one could easily see the rage bubbling beneath the surface. For the first time in four years, they were truly seeing the toll Lucy's absence continued to take on him. He stared at General Kain and Commander Roke, his face hard. "Why are you bringing her up?"

"Calm down kiddies." Makarov ordered quietly. "Before you all tear into them, let them speak." Jellal and Levy successfully managed to yank down their respective partners. However, everyone was still on edge, nails digging into palms, hands gripping the edge of the table…Kain saw this, and proceeded quickly.

"The reason why we bought her up," He began, "Was because, we found her. Alive." Immediate chaos ensued.

"WHAT?" Natsu roared, standing up and slamming both of his hands on the table. His control had officially snapped.

"Natsu…" Wendy whispered, tugging on his sleeve. Natsu ignored her, his obsidian eyes drilling holes into the two men before them and his chest was rising and falling rapidly.

"There's no way." He hissed. "There has been no sign, nor word about her for five years. You must have made a mistake." Roke shook his head emphatically.

"We most definitely did not. She was wandering around the desert with a light brown cat. I recognized her instantly." His grey eyes softened. "One does not forget the face of someone they owe their life to that easily."

"She was weak and dehydrated." Kain continued. "We took her in, where our medical team looked after her. As soon as she was strong enough, we tried to question her, but all we got was a vague account of what she had been through the past five years. Seeing as we couldn't let her go, we offered her a position within the army, which she accepted."

"You mean, she's been here for a week and you didn't even contact us?" Makarov said incredulously, speaking before anyone else could. As of right now, he seemed to be the only member of Fairy Tail capable of communicating calmly. Kain had the decency to look guilty.

"She provided us with some extremely important intel regarding Zeref." He said. "We were afraid if we contacted you, we would lose the valuable information she had to provide." He glanced at the guild. "She didn't ask for Fairy Tail either."

"She mostly keeps to herself." Roke chimed in sadly. "She only talks freely to her cat, which we know now is an exceed named Holly. It wouldn't surprise me if she's been locked up in some cold, dark jail for five years." He looked at the guild members. "She still has her golden gate keys. She summoned a few, and they seemed to be perfectly healthy, albeit relieved that she was finally being taken care of." At this, Natsu slumped forward.

"It really _is_ her." He whispered. "No one else would be able to control the gate keys. There's no way Loke and the others would make a contract with the enemy." Erza slapped a hand over her mouth. Levy buried her face into Gajeel's shirt. The rest just looked at Roke in wonderment. Makarov still looked rather upset.

"While I'm filled with immense joy that she is alive and well, that doesn't change the fact that you kept one of my children away from home, Kain! She should have been offered the option to return to Fairy Tail the second she was able." He ground his teeth. "Like Gajeel said before, her absence has been painfully obvious since her disappearance. She isn't just some doll in your war plans."

"I never treated her as such." Kain retorted. "I admit, I was wrong not to contact you, but we are in a _war_ Makarov. Even though it's hard, some things must take a temporary back seat."

"She is very well provided for." Roke added. "We've given her complete freedom as she settles in, on top of her very own tent. We haven't even questioned her since she got out of the hospital." Natsu rose and moved away from the table.

"I'm not just going to sit here and listen to you guys blabber on about her." He began to walk to the exit, his shoulders set. "I'm going to find her. For real this time." With that, Natsu flipped back the tent flap forcefully, before sprinting out into the base camp. Makarov watched him, his heart swelling with hope. As a leader, he was forced to push his own guilt and grief after Lucy's disappearance. He had to keep the guild going, thriving, preventing them from drowning in their sadness. He had watched the vibrancy of his guild fade, and he hated it. He dreamed of the day when their hearts would finally be mended, when smiling became a knee jerk reaction like it was before.

Now that Lucy was possibly alive, healing could truly begin. He cackled in excitement, jumping onto the table happily and did a small jig to top it off. Giggles erupted around the table, and smiles were drawn from the two serious looking military men. He grinned widely. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of peace and tranquility. It was kind of ironic, to be feeling like this in the middle of a war zone.

"Well." He announced, crossing his arms. "I know you all want to see Lucy, however, I think we all can agree Natsu needs to see her first. Alone." He said meaningfully. Surprisingly, there were minimal protests. It appeared everyone had also come to the same conclusion. He nodded approvingly. "Excellent. Now, how about you return to your tents, and we'll all meet up at meal time?" Obligingly, the guild rose, chattering excitedly as they left the central tent. Mira was clinging to Laxus, gushing about how Natsu and Lucy were going to be romantically reunited. Gray scoffed, and retorted that the flamehead didn't have a romantic bone in his body. However, he was smiling too. Levy looked like she was going to explode with happiness and Gajeel finally looked relaxed and content. Erza was a mess, with thick tears paired with an expression of exalted wonder. Makarov liked what he saw. He saw hope.

Once everyone was outside, loud cheers could clearly be heard. Makarov beamed widely. Kain moved to stand beside him.

"You're very lucky." Kain said, a faraway look in his eyes. "Rarely does a beloved comrade come back from the dead."

"I know." Makarov replied, wiping a traitor tear from his eye, sniffling.

"Could I ask a question?" Kain inquired, his posture stiff. Makarov immediately composed himself at Kain's serious tone.

"Yes."

"Did Lucy have an…important necklace she never took off?" Makarov's eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Not that I remember. You would be better off asking one of her close friends within the guild." Kain waved his offer away, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the concern off his face.

"No, it's fine. I'm probably just overreacting." Makarov looked at him suspiciously. Whatever could he mean? He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. The important thing was that Lucy was alive. Any other concerns could wait.

* * *

Natsu raced through the camp, his eyes rapidly scanning for his beloved best friend. He accidently ran into a few people along the way, however, that hardly mattered to him at the moment. All that mattered was _her._ And as he had recently learned, she wasn't far.

"Oof." He grunted as he ran into a weapons rack, causing several weapons to clatter to the ground. He shoved various pieces of metal and wood off his body hastily, glancing around to ensure that he didn't accidently run past Lucy.

"Well, well. Isn't it the great Salamander?" Natsu's head snapped up, only to see two tall figures looming over him. He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself off the ground.

"Sting. Rogue." He nodded at them coolly. "Excuse me." He managed to cover a grand distance of five metres before Sting's voice bought him to a screeching halt.

"If you're looking for Lucy, you won't find her!" The fair haired dragon slayer called after him. Natsu whirled around, his fist tightened.

"What do you mean?" He demanded, ready to clock Sting in the face. Sting shrugged, and pointed to the massive wall surrounding the camp.

"That thing seems to interfere with our sense of smell." He replied. "If there's anything outside that wall, we won't be able to smell it."

"So, she's outside of the camp?" Natsu clarified, his heart pounding in his chest. Sting nodded.

"Yeah."

"Thanks." Natsu began to run again, before skidding to a stop. "Hey Sting?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen her?"

"Yeah. I've seen her around." He paused, realizing what the rosette dragon slayer was asking. "She's fine." Natsu nodded wordlessly before he began to run again. Sting watched him go, a slightly bemused expression on his face.

"You've gone soft." Rogue commented, crossing his arms.

"Me? Soft? This was your idea." Sting shot back. Rogue rolled his eyes as they started to make their way back to the tents

* * *

After fifteen frustrating minutes, Natsu finally found a door that would take him outside the base camp. As soon as he stepped through it, the scent of vanilla and honey hit him harder a load of bricks. He stumbled, bracing himself against the wall. He took a few moments to bask in the familiar scent, his eyes growing wider in disbelief. The aroma was undeniably hers, providing Natsu the proof he had so desperately needed.

She was alive.

Lucy.

Happiness exploded in his chest, giving him an indescribable buoyant feeling. He couldn't stop smiling, a genuine grin stretching across his face.

"Luce." He whispered. He reveled in the feeling that was rapidly spreading through his body as his eyes skimmed his surroundings, his feet following his nose, desperately searching for the girl he loved. His best friend. His teammate. His supporter. He clenched his fists. His _everything._

Finally, he staggered to a halt. Despite the fact he had smelled her earlier, seeing her still shocked him to the core. He couldn't move, or breathe. He just drank in the sight of her, trying to convince himself that she wasn't a mirage, and would vanish as soon as he reached out to grab her. She was dressed modestly in a baggy, long-sleeved gray shirt, black leggings and a familiar belt that held her precious keys cinched in the shirt at the waist. She looked slimmer, and her hair was much longer. It was still its stunning, light yellow- gold colour, however she now wore it in a voluminous ponytail tied at the base of her skull.

She looked different, but yet, she still looked like _Lucy_. She was a vision, adding evidence to his mirage theory.

She was staring at him, having just scrambled up into a standing position from her seat on the canyon's ledge. Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself, and she was trembling, as if she could not believe he was standing before her either. She shifted to her other leg, seemingly embarrassed by his attention. Her coffee brown eyes were shining, and she was chewing on her lip in an uncharacteristic nervous gesture.

"Natsu…" She whispered, her hands flying to her face as tears spilled over. That snapped him out of his trance.

"LUCY!" He shouted, running to her. She shook her head, and began to race towards him as well. They met in the middle, their arms going around each other naturally, as no time had passed at all. Natsu held her tightly, the dam that had held his tears for five years breaking. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, squeezing her as hard as he could without suffocating her.

"I…can't believe it. It's you. I've finally found you." He whispered. Lucy hugged him tighter in response, rubbing his back soothingly. Natsu inhaled her scent deeply, unable to believe how lucky he truly was. Four years ago, he had given up any hope of holding her again. Now, she was here, strong and solid.

She was here.

She was _here._

He was lucky.

He was so fucking lucky.

"Thank you." He whispered to no one in particular. He had no idea what he had done to deserve such a miracle, but he was taking it. And never letting go. He hugged her closer to him, as if he was afraid that the universe would realize that he didn't deserve such a gift and would snatch her away instantly.

There was no way in hell he was ever going to let her disappear again.

* * *

What did you guys think? I know I made Sting and Rogue a little OC, but I honestly see them developing into nicer people if they leave sabertooth (I've watched the anime, haven't read the books yet- so I don't know what happens to them after they lose to Natsu and Gajeel).

And I know this chapter was a little shorter than the others, but I felt like it _should_ end there while writing it, kind of leaving it off with Natsu and Lucy instead of integrating everyone else in there.

There is also a lot of stuff that needs to be revealed- which is will be in all due time :) stay tuned!

I hope you guys enjoyed it though, and I hope I did their reunion scene justice. Review and let me know!


	7. Changed

I think i'm suffering from chronic lateness.

Which is why this chapter's late. Again. Sigh. I'll try to be better with the next one, but I make no promises, because it's going to be a difficult one to write, plotwise.

It's actually sad, because I started this one before I even finished the previous chapter. But I rewrote it like...5 times no joke. =.= Sigh.

I was also a little put off because I've been following this one fanfiction for awhile, but then they pulled a couple switch right near the end of the story...and they had been pretty much leading up to Nalu the entire time and them BAM. They pulled the most random plot change I've ever seen and broke them up and paired them with different people. In the second last chapter. I was pissed =.=...so...that kind of blew my motivation out the window for a day, as I tried to find other GaLe and NaLu fictions to reassure myself =.=

Anyways. Enough with my ranting. Next chapter! :)

* * *

Eventually, Natsu bought Lucy to the Fairy Tail section of the camp, reuniting her with the rest of the guild members. Fulfilling their role as the most overly enthusiastic guild, there was no shortage of screams, laughter and tears. Like Natsu, they respected her decision not to diverge the details of the past five years, and instead, focused on welcoming her back to the guild. Even some of the members from the other guilds, such as Hibiki, Eve, Lyon and Sherry had dropped by to greet her happily.

For Lucy, the day had been rather emotionally draining. They released her with the promise of meeting up with her first thing in the morning for breakfast. After she left, everyone chattered in excitement. Each guild member was filled with uncontainable joy (and also a little disbelief) to see their celestial wizard alive and well.

"I can't believe it!" Mira cried happily, spinning around. "She's okay!" Everyone else laughed in response.

"This is miraculous." Cana mused, a cup of alcohol loosely gripped in her hand, a pink flush on her cheeks hinting at her inebriation. She looked at Natsu. "So are you two going to have some epic reuniting sex or something?" Mirajane snorted. Gray spat out his drink. Gajeel howled with laughter. Natsu turned bright red, flailed, and toppled off his seat.

"Cana…" Mira chastised, trying to control her giggles for Natsu's sake.

"It's legitimate question. I mean, before she left there was soooo much sexual tension between the two of them. I was surprised that one didn't drag the other into a closet and hump like bunnies. And now it's had like…five years to build up, not to mention seeing her alive instead of dead has to bring up pretty strong feelings."

"It sure is." Gray agreed, as he absentmindedly took off his shirt. "Too bad ash brain has no idea how to please a woman." Juvia fainted nearby. Natsu started spluttering from his spot on the ground, however no one paid him any heed.

"Well, first he has to 'fess up. Because that's the man's job." Evergreen said, relaxing in her fiancé's muscular arms. Elfman's eyes narrowed.

"Confessing? That doesn't seem very manly."

"Well, it's the PROPER way of sweeping a woman off her feet! A handsome robust, charming prince knocks on her door, gets down on one knee and gives her an armful of the rarest blooms." Evergreen sighed dreamily. She gave Natsu a one over before shaking her head. "You're not exactly prince charming material."

"What if Lucy wants a dragon? Natsu's a pretty good dragon!" Levy offered. Romeo sniggered.

"You mean like you, Levy?" Levy turned fire engine red and withdrew herself from the conversation.

"If I remember correctly, Lucy wanted a knight in shining armour." Mira said thoughtfully. "Also, someone who was intellectual and liked to read as much as she did."

"So we give Natsu stacks of books, glasses and dress him up in armour? I'm liking project Natsu/Lucy so far!"

"No, I don't think Lucy would want Natsu to change." Mira said wisely. "I think she likes him just the way he is. That's the funny thing about love. You spend your entire life with all these criteria, and you date and test so many different guys that fit that criteria flawlessly. Then, you meet someone who could very well be the complete opposite of what you're looking for, and find your soulmate in them." She ruffled Laxus' hair, who gave her an abashed look. "Love is pretty exciting."

"Mira! That was beautiful!" Wendy gushed, eliciting groans from the majority of the guys in the guild. Natsu looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"That's fantastic and all, but we still haven't gotten down to the point of this conversation." Cana stared at Natsu. "So, you gonna jump her bones tomorrow or not?"

Natsu fell over again.

* * *

Despite Cana's advice, Natsu did not in fact 'jump Lucy's bones' the next time he saw her. Mira told him to start small, and work his way up the grand gestures. Since Natsu had no idea what to do in a situation like this, he followed the girls' advice (except for Cana's) blindly. He had long since accepted that he was in love with Lucy, and wanted to be with her. He felt like her return was like a second chance for him- a second chance that he _really_ didn't want to mess up. So, when everyone crowded around the mess hall at seven thirty in the morning, Natsu carried Lucy's breakfast tray to the table for her and pulled out her chair- without dropping or knocking over anything! Lucy blushed at his small acts of kindness, and thanked him as she sat down. At her response, Mira looked like she was going to blow a gasket, and Natsu would anxiously check on her over his shoulder every now and then to make sure the eldest take over mage wasn't going to have a stroke.

"So what are the plans for today?" Gray asked, shovelling some hash browns in his mouth.

"Training." Erza said, delicately cutting her pancakes. Gray looked aghast.

"Training?! But we just got here!"

"We were the last group to arrive." Jellal reminded him. "They were waiting for us to come so they could start everyone off all together." Gray grumbled.

"Heh. Based on what we put ourselves through on a regular basis, training's probably going to be nothing." Natsu boasted, before stuffing his face with ham.

"You'd be surprised." Erza said mildly. "I saw some of the training courses as we walked in. They look challenging."

"They're probably nothing." Gajeel said dismissively. Levy smacked him lightly on the bicep before turning to Lucy.

"What do you think Lu?" Lucy looked startled at being addressed, however she composed herself quickly.

"Erza's right. They look hard." Erza nodded approvingly. She turned to the protesting male wizards.

"Lucy's been here longer than all of us. I think she would know best."

"They may look hard, but our epic missions have prepared us for anything." Natsu said, after he finished licking the maple syrup off his plate.

"They're just another thing for me to beat flamebrain at." Gray added. Natsu dropped his plate on the table (incredibly, it didn't break) and glared at the ice make wizard.

"Something you wanted to say to me Ice Princess?"

"You heard what I said slanty eyes." Gray shot back, getting in Natsu's face.

"Boys…you aren't fighting, are you?" Erza said, not even looking at them. Gray and Natsu flew back from each other, both wearing identical forced grins.

"Naw, we're just hyping each other up for training today!"

"We're best friends! Why would we ever fight?!"

"Good." Erza said. A soft giggle from Natsu' left side drew his attention to the blonde sitting next to him. Lucy's body was shaking in silent laughter, and her eyes were sparkling. She smiled brightly at him.

"Things really haven't changed a bit, have they?" Natsu then decided he would pick fights with Gray more often.

* * *

For training, they were randomly sorted into groups. Unfortunately, Natsu and Gray were placed in the same one. To make things even worse, none of their adversaries were in their group either. Natsu had been hoping to take a shot at Sting, however the fair haired dragon slayer had been sorted into a group with Lucy and Wendy. Gray had been wanting to fight Lyon, but he was also in a different group.

The first day of training was already starting out so wonderfully.

The first course was relatively easy. It was made so that the soldiers could practice fighting mages. Natsu was paired up with a solider named Bill, who was actually quite an adept fighter. However, when the instructors called for the mages to add a little magic into the fight, poor Bill failed miserably. However as the session progressed, Bill grew more and more adept. By the end, he and Natsu had achieved a sort of camaraderie and promised each other that they would work together again sometime in the future.

Their next session was endurance, which proved Natsu and Gray's previous claims of being too good for training completely and utterly wrong

The course was beyond demanding. It involved climbing up, climbing down, army crawling, dummy punching, magic targeting…and you had to keep going at a certain pace. If you slowed or stopped, a mage sitting in a watchtower would shoot a blast of magic, 'encouraging' you to keep going.

It was practically torture.

When the session finally ended, both Natsu and Gray felt like their limbs were ready to come off. It burned to walk, it burned to sit…hell, it even burned to stand. They both decided to flop over on their stomachs, pathetically spent, until Gildarts came and yanked them on their feet.

"Come on. You're not going to want to miss the finale."

"What finale?" Natsu asked, rubbing his throbbing arm.

"Dueling." Gildarts said gleefully. "One of our own is taking on Sting!"

"WHAT? I WANTED TO BE THE ONE TO BRING DOWN THAT STUPID SON OF A –"

"Language." Gildarts said sternly. "Or I'll feed you dirt." Knowing that his mentor was far from joking, Natsu obediently snapped his mouth shut. He and Gray trailed behind Gildarts as they approach the wide open space designated for wizard/ wizard combat. Behind the crowds, Natsu saw Sting fly into the air before disappearing from view again. The Crash Mage pushed through the crowds until they were in a respectable place where they could see. He dragged the two boys so that they were standing in front of him. Both their jaws dropped. He smirked.

"See? Told you that you wouldn't want to miss it." Natsu nodded dumbly. Sting was struggling to get up, his nose bloody and his body shaking. Across the yard from him, panting in exhaustion was none other than Lucy.

Lucy was fighting Sting.

Sting was fighting Lucy.

The entire situation was so unexpected, Natsu's brain struggled to compute it. Finally it sunk in, and a wide grin spread across his face.

"GO LUCY!" He hollered. Lucy glanced up, her eyes crinkling before she turned her attention back to her opponent. She snapped her sleek black whip, before it began to spark and crackle with blue energy.

"That's a new one." Gray muttered.

"She's stronger." Natsu observed, a sense of pride filling him. Lucy had always been strong. Although she hadn't been the strongest in the physical sense, when it came to determination and her overall faith in people, she reigned supreme. It was one of the things he respected most about her. However, Lucy struggled to see past her physical weakness, and had yearned to be stronger so she could hold her own during a fight near that of her teammate's caliber. Now, watching her face down an opponent that few could say that they defeated, he realized that she had finally reached her goal. He was happy for her.

Sting finally stood up, his eyes dark with fury.

"I'll have you know, I refuse to lose to a blonde weakling like you." Natsu tensed. Gildarts put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Well, this blonde has knocked you over a few times." Lucy said offhandedly. "Besides, we're supposed to be comrades. This is only supposed to be a friendly fight." Sting sneered at her.

"I'm not trying to kill you. But I do want to make you bleed a little." He steadied his position. "WHITE DRAGON ROAR!" The raging magic shot towards Lucy, who looked at it calmly, her hand gripping the handle of her whip.

"Why isn't she moving?!" Gray hissed. Natsu shook his head, his jaw clenched. He had told Lucy multiple times over the course of their friendship that he believed in her. He wasn't about to go back on his word now, no matter what the situation was. So instead, he forced himself to be still, as his heart rate rose dramatically. As the magic came closer, Lucy raised her whip, and slashed at the incoming white pillar of light, deflecting it off to the ride. People scrambled out of the way.

The entire arena went completely silent.

"Sh-She-she…" Gray babbled. Natsu felt his heart rate come down, as his body slumped forward with relief.

"YEAH LUCY!" He bellowed, cupping his hands around his mouth.

That broke the ice.

The rest of the arena started to cheer loudly. Lucy didn't pay any attention. She was still poised, and ready to attack or defend.

"Let's wrap this up, shall we?" She said, reactivating the magic current that flowed through her whip.

"That's impossible!" Sting yelled. "There's no way a celestial mage could do that!" Lucy shrugged, raising her whip, while simultaneously yanking out a key.

"Open! Gate of the Lion!" Natsu watched as Loke materialized beside Lucy, his posture hunched over and ready for battle. It warmed Natsu's heart to see the lion spirit again. It bestowed a feeling of familiarity on him, stemming from the memories of when he and Lucy fought together.

"Took you long enough to call me out." Loke said, his tawny eyes flashing to Sting. Lucy took a minute to smile affectionately at her beloved spirit.

"Would I ever finish a fight of this magnitude off without you?"

"I would certainly hope not." Loke replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Let's finish this pathetic little weakling off." Lucy nodded her assent.

"Go!" She ordered. Loke rushed forward, his fists glowing with his signature golden light.

"REGULUS IMPACT!" He roared, aiming a punch towards Sting. Sting dodged it neatly, however he was immediately struck by Lucy's whip. Several gasps sounded from the rapidly growing crowd. No one had seen her move from her spot on the other end of the field.

Sting thrashed as Lucy's whip wrapped itself around him (seemingly of its own accord) while they were both in midair, effectively trapping him. She landed on the ground, yanking him down roughly with her. Sting didn't move. The referee blew his whistle.

Lucy had won.

The crowd cheered loudly. Lucy freed Sting from the binds of her whip so he could be treated by the medical team. After giving Loke a tight hug, the doctors also ushered her into the first aid tent to treat her injuries.

"Wasn't that amazing!" Gildarts exclaimed. "Our little Lucy has grown up quite a bit." He dramatically wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Yeah. Geez." Gray said, completely at a loss for words. "She's gotten good. Like, really good." He glanced at Natsu. "She could probably take you in a fight."

"She was incredible!" Natsu enthused. "She's still definitely a mage of Fairy Tail!" He craned his neck, his eyes scanning for the medical tent. He beamed when the little white structure came into view.

"I'm going to go congratulate her! We'll meet you back at the mess hall!" With that, Natsu began to push his way through the crowds, following the sweet scent of vanilla and honey to where the blonde wizard was currently being held.

* * *

By the time he reached the tent, Lucy had already been patched up. Her injuries were strictly superficial. The worst was a scratch on her cheek and a dislocated arm, which had already been fixed before his arrival.

"How are you doing?" He asked. Lucy tried to smile, but was immediately admonished by the doctor, who was trying to get the bandage to lay flat on her face. She sat quietly as her caretaker placed the sticky cloth on her face, and fitted her with a sling for her dislocation injury. After giving her an ice pack for her shoulder, they discharged her.

"You did fantastic!" Natsu enthused as they exited the tent. Lucy flushed, refusing to make eye contact with him.

"It's no big deal." She said, trying to shrug it off. "He underestimated me. I took advantage of that."

"Nope. You're not allowed to put yourself down after a fight like that. We should be celebrating!" Natsu slung his arm around her shoulder, being mindful of her injury. Lucy acquiesced, and the two fell into a companionable silence as they went to join their fellow guild members in the mess hall.

Dinner had been a typical affair. Everyone congratulated and drank to Lucy's victory and ended up getting smashed. Lucy finally got the chance to examine Erza's wedding and engagement ring and sincerely congratulate them. She truly meant it. Marriage looked good on Erza.

Natsu told her about some of the more epic missions he had gone on, which pretty much took up all of dinner time to get through. Afterwards, he and Lucy broke off from the main group so he could walk her to her tent, which was unfortunately several sectors away from Fairy Tail's.

"Why does your tent have to be so far away?" Natsu complained. "Couldn't you room with Levy and Wendy?"

"I like my tent!" She protested. "I also like my privacy."

"We would give you your privacy." Natsu sulked. Lucy shot an exasperated look at him.

"Yeah right." Holly said, rolling her eyes from her position in Lucy's good arm. "I'll meet you at the tent Lucy." Lucy nodded, allowing her exceed fly out of her arm.

"I'll be there soon." She called.

"I don't see why you want to go to bed so early. It's not that late." Lucy glanced up at the star filled sky.

"I want to have a little downtime before I go to sleep. Plus those painkillers they gave me made me really sleepy.

"You should have just let Wendy heal your shoulder." Natsu told her. Lucy shook her head.

"Did you see her and Romeo at dinner? I definitely didn't want to be the one to break them apart." She giggled at Natsu's befuddled expression. "Things really haven't changed." She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder, nearly smacking the pink haired wizard in the face with the action. He barely dodged her hairy assault.

"Watch it!" Lucy giggled again, shooting Natsu a sidelong glance.

"Perks of having longer hair," She joked, running her fingers absentmindedly through it.

"Why did you grow it?" After all, she did have a giant crab with a passion for cutting hair. He also wanted to know what motivated her to change the hairstyle she had kept for the majority of her life. Lucy shrugged.

"There wasn't any reason to cut it." She said simply.

"Do you think you'll cut it now you're back home?" A flicker of sadness passed through her eyes.

"I've changed, Natsu. I didn't realize how much until everyone came back into my life." She sighed. "Doing my hair every morning, putting on makeup, dressing in sexy clothes…it's not really that important for be to try and be the prettiest girl in the room now. The one thing I can say about my time away, is that it opened my eyes up to what truly matters." She paused, tentatively looking at him. "But I see how everyone else is still the same. I guess I'm a little worried about how I'll fit back in." She examined at the pink Fairy Tail insignia that had remained on her hand, tracing the outline of it.

"You have nothing to worry about." Natsu told her seriously, covering her hand with his own. A faint flush dusted her cheeks as she slowly rose her head to look at him. "You just got back, Luce. Give yourself some time for starters. And two, no matter how you've changed, you're still Lucy of Fairytail. You're still the same in the ways that matter, which is what everyone really liked about you anyways. Besides," He looked away from her scratching the back of his head. "You look better without makeup anyways. I never really understood why you piled all that crap on your face." At his last comment, Lucy's light flush turned into a full blown blush.

"T-Thanks Natsu." She said softly, removing her pale hand from his tanned one. "That means a lot. More than you'll ever know." Natsu gave her a toothy grin.

"What are best friends for?" Lucy smiled at him, before yawning widely.

"I'm exhausted. Thank you everything, Natsu." Natsu flushed, glad for the darkness.

"A-Anytime." He stuttered. Smiling at him one last time, Lucy ducked under the folds of her tent. Natsu made his way back to his own, inwardly pumping his fist.

If he kept this up, he felt like he had a chance to win her heart.

* * *

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Your comments and feedback are amazing, and I'm learning so much :). If you have an questions about the story so far, just ask in your review, or feel free to pm me :) we're getting more into where Lucy was these past five years in the next chapter :)

Please R&R! :)


	8. Conflict

So now we're on chapter 8...wow. I feel so committed to this story XD. Two more chapter until we hit 10!

I'm aiming for this fic to be around 20 chapters, but we'll see how that goes~ This is my first attempt at a full length one, so it may or may not be shorter...

You guys...are AMAZING! Seriously, I think this is the best response I've ever had for a chapter. THANK YOU! Some of your reviews really warmed my heart :) You are all so kind! :))

But anyways, for this chapter, I took a slightly different approach then I thought I was going to take. I wrote it all pretty much from Lucy's perspective, to give you a little insight on why she's acting oddly, and a teeny, tiny hint on where she's been for the past five years. This chapter contains about half the moment that inspired this entire fanfiction...I've been trying to add it in since chapter five, but it just didn't seem to be the right place for it. The moment's nothing big, but from it, everything else kinda flew in and clicked into place. So, I was so excited to write this chapter, and I'm stoked to get started on the next one!

Anyways, I'll shut up :) Enjoy! R&R! :)

* * *

The back breaking training continued on relentlessly for two whole weeks. Surprisingly, Lucy found herself enjoying the exertion, and although each exhausting session resulted in blisters, aching muscles and occasional injuries, she could actually see herself improving more and more every day. She was able to run faster and farther, not to mention she was becoming quite adept at holding her own against her fellow mages. With multiple forms of endurance, offensive and defensive training, these training courses were no doubt designed to produce well rounded soldiers. They also provided many opportunities in which the soldiers and mages could spar with each other or themselves, allowing them to solidify what they had learned as well as develop their own combat strategies. The soldiers took these exercises very seriously, as they were the ones with a distinct disadvantage when it came to fighting mages. As such, they were extremely disciplined when it came to participating in them.

For the most part, the strengthening army had complied with General Kain's wishes and had established a large camaraderie with each other. Truces between former nemeses were struck. Lucy and Sting also managed to come to a stalemate regarding their own differences, enabling them to put away most of the negative aspects surrounding their relationship. They were by no means anywhere near friends, but they were comrades, and Lucy knew that if she ran into any trouble while Sting was nearby, he would undoubtedly drop everything to help her.

Which led her into a completely different topic.

_Natsu. _

Another perk of training hard every single day was that Lucy could channel her feelings of frustration and anxiety into each task. By doing so, she was able to more effectively interact with her old friends, especially _him. _

The rosette pyro was never far from the forefront of her mind. She was aware of his growing feelings for her, which only served to catapult her into a realm of utter confusion. No doubt striking up a relationship with Natsu while she still had her mission to complete was morally wrong in more ways than one. On top of that, she refused to allow anything to distract her from her quest. However, while she was talking to him, or watching him interact with other guild members, a sliver of affection would always worm its way into her guarded mind. Of course, she would catch it immediately and quash it down, but the memory of it taunted her, tempting her with something that she could never have. When she had accepted this mission, she had already made her choice on whom she would fight for. Despite her strong emotions towards Natsu, her desire to complete her job currently outweighed them, allowing her to push forward as if nothing had changed.

Despite this, the knowledge made the chain she wore perpetually around her neck feel heavy, as if it represented the life she could never go back to. The future she could never have. Of course, Lucy still harboured her childhood dreams of growing up, falling in love and having a family. But, she had found something else now. Something she refused to ever relinquish. She hadn't lied to Natsu when she said she had changed. Her priorities were completely different now.

And they didn't include Fairy Tail at all.

In fact, her actions would probably hurt them in the long run. Even though she felt remorse, she couldn't bring herself to abandon her mission. She had long since learned the lines between right and wrong were blurred, thus choosing the side most would claim to be evil may not be completely evil after all. Therefore, she had prepared herself for this, hardening her heart and learning to exert control over her emotion. Fairy Tail arriving had made her think twice, but she had enough time and conversations with Holly to put herself back on track. Looking back, she couldn't believe she had almost strayed. She knew better. Over the years, she had struggled with her love of Fairy Tail and her love for someone else. She felt guilty for how she felt about Natsu, and had managed to convince herself it was the shock of seeing him after so many years. It didn't help that she had often thought of what would have happened between them if she hadn't been taken. Just thinking of that made her shake her head, in order to clear her mind of those reminiscing thoughts. These feelings would fade in time, and she would be free of the burden that seemed to always weigh down her heart. It was only by believing this, was she able to act enough like the Lucy Heartfilia from five years ago to appease them, and reduce any suspicion anyone may have had about her sudden appearance. She knew General Kain still suspected her, especially after her violent reaction that had occurred after the medical team had tried to remove her necklace when she had first come in. However, she could see him slowly become more at ease with her presence in the base camp, and even went so far as to congratulate her on her impressive performances during training. She touched the necklace again, comforted by the metal against her skin. The necklace was actually a weapon, a weapon that would turn the tables in this war. She had been nervous when she had received it, however she treasured it closely, as it would help her protect the one she loved. Therefore, she was at loath to ever let it out of her sight, especially in a military camp.

"Are you okay?" Lucy snapped out of her thoughts, looking down at the small exceed beside her.

"Yeah. Sorry, I was daydreaming."

"Are you thinking about him again?" Lucy nodded forlornly, raising her gaze to the starry sky. Night had fallen not too long ago, and the stars were sparkling at their fullest.

It was absolutely stunning.

"He'll be alright. He's the most powerful force in Fiore. There's no way he can be defeated." Holly said comfortingly, resting a paw on her leg. Lucy automatically scratched the bronze furred cat behind the ears.

"No one is immune to being defeated." Lucy said softly, dipping her eyes back down to the ground. "It's just that, I haven't seen him in so long. I miss him so much, Holly."

"I know. Once we get out of this hellhole, we can go and find him." Lucy laughed bitterly.

"We still have a long time to sit in this 'hellhole'. The war hasn't even officially started."

"It will soon." Holly said confidently, in an attempt to cover the anxiety seeping into her tone. Lucy understood. War was a terrifying concept. With such dangerous times present, she knew it was a distinct possibility she may die before she would ever see him again.

"You're strong, Lucy. Much stronger than anyone in this camp even suspects. If you can keep your true power hidden, we will always have the upper hand." She paused, her sapphire eyes worried. "You aren't reconsidering, are you? I mean, Fairy Tail showing up…that has to be difficult."

"It is, but I believe in our cause." Lucy promised, leaning back on her hands. "After this war is done, an entirely new world will be born. And I will stand by his side, no matter what the consequences." Holly nodded in agreement.

"We have to remember that. We owe it to ourselves." Her eyes flickered towards the central tent, which was located near their own. Soldiers were marching out, led by Kain and Roke. All were dressed in full battle gear as a precautionary measure.

"I guess they set off the distraction." Lucy commented lightly.

"That means, tomorrow is the night." Holly said hushedly, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Have you located it?" Lucy nodded.

"I've confirmed it as well." She turned her sights back to the stars, her eyes scanning the sky thoughtfully. Tomorrow night, they would be one step closer to their goal. They had to be successful. Anything else but would destroy months of intricate planning.

The thought excited her, yet terrified her at the same time.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy ducked into the bath house, showered and met up with Holly to go search out their usual breakfast companions. She wasn't surprised to already find them there. Natsu's plate was already piled high with sausage, ham and bacon, with two eggs. Lucy placed a few fruits on her plate along with a bowl of hot oatmeal before heading off to join them.

As usual, she was greeted with wide smiles, and a chorus of good mornings. She slid into her spot next to Natsu who grinned at her through a mouthful of food. Lucy grimaced in disgust.

"Didn't Igneel ever teach you to chew with your mouth closed?" She asked, as Natsu swallowed.

"Nope." He said cheerfully. Lucy shook her head.

"There's no point in trying to teach him manners Lucy. I tried to beat it into him years back, and it still didn't work." Erza said glibly.

"Yeah. It's because he's got ash for brains." Gray said, also speaking before he swallowed.

"You're hardly any better!" Levy said, rolling her eyes at him. She smiled at Lucy. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Same I normally did."

"Did you hear the troops marching out?" She asked, looking slightly concerned.

"No," Lucy lied. "What do you mean troops marched out?"

"Around midnight last night, I heard a bunch of people marching in tandem. When I peeked out of my tent, I saw maybe forty to fifty soldiers led by Kain and Roke."

"Kain and Roke? But they're supposed to be running the base camp!" Lisanna said, from her place on the other side of Natsu.

"There's another commander around here." Laxus said, looking at them as if they were all stupid. "They wouldn't just leave us unsupervised."

"Who?" Jellal asked curiously. "I haven't seen any of the higher ups besides Kain and Roke." Laxus shrugged.

"I've never seen him before either. I overheard some of the recruits talking about it on my way here." Jellal opened his mouth to reply, however was interrupted by a call for attention. Everyone's gaze shot to the stage, curious to see this mysterious commander. They were shocked to see an older man with a portly stature and kind, twinkling eyes. He was dressed in the same uniform as Roke, however, the left side of his chest was decorated with many more medals and badges of honor, insinuating he was a very important man. He beamed at the crowd, choosing to stand at the edge of the stage instead of behind the podium (which was both Kain's and Roke's favoured place to address the recruits).

"Good morning everyone." He said warmly. "There are several of you in here that probably do not know me, so please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Commander Clint. I am responsible for observing the training exercises and mapping out strategies based on what I discern from them. I am also the one responsible for assembling the Acnologia task force, so if that's something you're interested in, then yes, I am most definitely the guy you should be sucking up to." Scattered laughter sounded from around the room. Clint grinned before continuing. "As many of you may have heard, General Kain and Commander Roke along with a few select troops left the base camp late last night to go investigate some rumours of dark guild activity north of here. If no complications arise, they should be back tomorrow afternoon. However, I'm sorry to inform you that since we are a little short staffed right now, training exercises will be suspended until their return." Cheers rang out loudly.

"Alright!" Natsu said, pumping his fist in the air. Clint kept going.

"So, take today and tomorrow off to rest and recuperate from all the hard work you have been doing. All of you are performing absolutely incredible in all your classes, and are most certainly ready to apply your skills in real life. These may be the only days off you get for a long time, so please, enjoy them properly. Oh, and safely too. No unauthorized fighting is permitted, so please be mindful of that." He paused. "Hm…I think that's it. If I've failed to answer any of your questions, I'll be hanging around the official's tent for the rest of the day, so you can come ask me there. Thank you." Polite applause sounded, however it was quickly drowned out by excited chattering. Two days off!

"This is great!" Natsu said happily.

"Yeah!" Gajeel nodded. "That stupid training is so boring."

"And hard." Levy added, silencing the iron dragon slayer with a look when he opened his mouth to argue.

"It will be nice to relax." Erza agreed. "What should we do today?" Mira squealed loudly, jumping up from her seat so she could rush over and grab Lucy's shoulders.

"We can have girl time! We haven't had a chance to do that since she got back!"

"What?" Natsu complained. "You can't hog her!" Mira gave him the evil eye.

"I can and I will." She announced. "You're the one who's always monopolizing her. We want some time with her too." She winked at Lucy who flushed. "Now run along boys. We're going to do girl talk." After Erza shot him one of her infamous glares, Natsu quickly obliged, allowing himself to be dragged out by Gray and Laxus. Mira slid into Natsu's vacated seat, propping elbows up on the table.

"Finally." She huffed indignantly. "I swear to God, those boys are so needy. It's like they have absolutely no independence!"

"Nah, it's only Natsu." Levy said teasingly. "He looooves Lucy." Lucy reddened, wishing desperately for some form of escape.

"We're only friends, Levy." She said firmly.

"Sure, sure." Cana said, smirking at her.

"Yeah! If you guys have only platonic feelings towards each other, Cana's not an alcoholic." Mira chimed in angelically.

"Hey!"

"Oh hush Cana."

"But Lucy, you and Natsu would make such a cute couple." Wendy said, her face glowing at the thought. "You two have always complemented each other so well." Lucy shut her eyes and massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She had successful avoided putting herself in this situation for two weeks. She wished Holly was here to tell them off, but Happy had dragged her off to formally introduce her to Carla and Pantherlily. She couldn't really fault him though. Everyone in Fairy Tail believed she was coming home after the war. The thought appealed to some small part of her, but to the majority, it wasn't possible, nor favourable. They were lingering feelings from her past self. Nothing more.

Every single thing she had once felt about Fairy Tail was endangering her resolve. She knew the part of her that longed to go back wished for the simpler times, when she could love freely without any consequences. However, the path fate had put her on set her up for heartbreak, no matter what direction she went. The thought made her nearly end her life years ago, however, she knew that _he_ needed her. Holly needed her. So, she had accepted the fact that to succeed, she was going to have to hurt a lot of people deeply. She wasn't proud of it, but she was going to do what needed to be done to benefit her family. She refused to fall for Natsu.

_But you already beginning to,_ a voice whispered in her head, causing Lucy to inadvertently to reflect on the time she had spent with Natsu since they were reunited. He had been caring, protective…

Lucy resisted the urge to smack her head on the table.

She had to forget him. She ignored the voice's rebuttal and opened her eyes, trying her best to keep the harshness out of her voice.

"It's complicated guys." She said flatly. She gave nothing more on the subject. Repentance appeared on her interrogators' faces.

"We're sorry Lucy." Levy said gently. "We're so excited to have you back, we keep on forgetting about the past five years."

"We don't mean to push you or anything." Wendy said, her voice soft. "I just wish there was something we could do to help." Lucy's anger dissipated, and she sagged in her seat.

"But, you should know Natsu will always wait for you." Erza said, putting her arm around Lucy's shoulders. "After you disappeared, he spent an entire year looking for you. It's been so longer since any of us have seen him this happy." She laughed wryly. "And we're in the middle of a war that threatens to destroy Fiore as we know it. Kind of ironic, don't you think?" Lucy didn't hear anything past Erza's second sentence.

"He- he spent a year? Looking for _me?_" She demanded hoarsely, feeling waves of guilt roiling in her stomach. He had given up an entire year of his life to transverse Fiore to find her? He would have had to take multiple forms of transportation, which would have been torture for him with his penchant for motion sickness, not to mention it had taken him away from Fairy Tail, the place he loved so dearly. Lucy wanted to cry.

"Of course." Cana said simply, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. And for Cana to utter it without any sexual innuendos or teasing, for them, it must be. Lucy shot up from her seat, resulting in multiple protests.

"Lucy?"

"What's wrong?"

She ignored all of them.

She raced out of the mess hall, nearly smacking right into Gajeel, who was impatiently waiting for Levy.

"Watch it bunny girl." He snapped.

"Shut it Gajeel." She retorted, not in the mood for his attitude. "Where's Natsu?" Gajeel's eyes widened.

"Are you okay?"

"Where's Natsu?" She repeated through gritted teeth. Looking slightly concerned, Gajeel responded,

"He went to the arena with Gray and all the exceeds. Why?" Lucy stalked away.

"Oi, wait! What did the idiot do to make you so upset?"

"Leave me alone Gajeel." She spat. The iron dragon slayer held up his hands in surrender, allowing her to walk away. He watched her, arms folded and his posture tense. Even though he remembered the celestial mage having quite an explosive temper, she had never, ever been angry like _this_. Even though her body had shook in fury, her eyes were filled with the utmost sadness and guilt. He huffed, returning to his post by the mess hall, waiting for his girlfriend to emerge. He knew what the shrimp would want to talk about tonight.

* * *

Lucy finally arrived at the arena, her eyes immediately zeroing in on the pink headed pyro. Both him and Gray were sitting cross legged on the ground, watching as Carla, Happy and Pantherlily tried to coerce Holly into playing tag with them. Lucy marched up to him, blocking his line of sight.

"Hey Luce! Is your-" He stopped when he saw her face. "What's wrong?"

"What the hell." She demanded, her tone shaky. She felt Holly swoop up behind her.

"Lucy what's the matter?"

"The problem is, is that I just found out that this guy," She pointed at a completely lost Natsu. "Spent a year looking for me after I disappeared. A year!" As usual, she saw the comprehension light up in her faithful exceed's eyes, but instead of comforting her like usual, it made her angrier. It meant that Holly considered it to be a legitimate reason for her anger, meaning that she wouldn't be able to just write it off as PMS or lack of sleep the night before. She turned back to Natsu.

"Why?!" She hoped he would miss the desperate note in her voice. She also dreaded his answer. Natsu stood, his expression hurt.

"How can you even ask that?" He asked angrily.

"Because I want to know!"

"Because you're my best friend!" Lucy glared at him, blaming him for the guilt that was eating away at her. Gray discreetly back away from the conflict.

"I never asked you to give up a year of your life for me."

"You didn't have to! I would have happily given up many more if it meant you could come home." It was all too much. Lucy burst into tears. She felt Holly land on her shoulder, trying to sooth her. Damn that Natsu. How could he say the most perfect, sweetest thing when she was literally battling with her conscious? Despite herself, she leaned into his chest, her tears soaking the front of his shirt. She felt the warm arms she had missed so much go around her. The arms that had always made her feel safe, protected and secure. He had always been there for her, even when they hadn't been together. He never stopped believing in her, and her abilities. He had chosen her over the guild that had raised him.

There was no way she deserved someone as good as him.

Although the thought stung, it helped her rein in her stupid feelings. She pulled back, feeling slightly embarrassed for her breakdown. She looked up at him ruefully, using her sleeve to dry her eyes. He gave her his signature, toothy grin.

"Alright now?" She nodded, brushing the outline of her necklace. Regardless of how she felt, she had to push forward. She had known since she had set out in the desert that she would have to betray one of the most important figures in her life. Therefore, she would not let herself fall for Natsu Dragneel. It was the only thing that would make what she had to do less painful for them both.

* * *

A few hours later, Wendy and Gajeel appeared, looking for Carla and Lily. They were a little cautious when they saw Lucy, however they relaxed once they realized she held no ill will towards them. The three dragon slayers plus Gray and Lucy ended up joining in the Exceed's game of tag, before Juvia dragged Gray off. After spending hours chatting about meaningless things, they realized it was getting late out and broke with the promise of meeting up again at breakfast tomorrow.

By the time Lucy and Holly returned to their tent, darkness was beginning to fall, allowing them to prepare for phase two of their quest. Lucy shrugged on a dark hoodie, neatly pulling up the hood before zipping the sweater up until it covered the bottom half of her face. A quick glance at the mirror on her bedside table her told her it was adequate enough.

After she and Holly exited the tent, Holly flew high into the night sky to act as a scout. Lucy crept quietly to their destination, hiding behind tents and shelves of weapons to remained concealed from the random stragglers that had not returned to their tents yet. Finally, after five minutes, she arrived at a pile of firewood. Holly landed beside her and together, they cleared the fire wood away, unearthing a trap door. Quickly glancing both ways, Lucy grasped the heavy metal handles and pulled, the trap door opening with great difficulty. She slipped inside, allowing Holly to glide in before she silently shut the door.

Dropping to the damp ground from the ladder, the blond wizard was met with pitch blackness.

"It's really dark in here." Her magical cat whispered. "Do you think you could conjure up some light?"

"One sec-" Lucy stopped when she felt the cold barrel of a gun being pressed to the back of her head, wincing as she heard the safety click. She heard Holly hiss loudly.

"I'd stay still if I were you." A deep, masculine voice ordered coldly. "If you don't tell me why you're are in the forbidden sector of the camp in about ten seconds, I'll shoot you."

* * *

Thanks for reading! :)


	9. Black Death

I know this sounds horribly, and awfully redundant, BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR AMAZING, KIND REVIEWS! Seriously, I know a lot of you probably shake your heads every time you read this, but I just REALLY want you guys to know, that I really appreciate everyone for taking the time to give my story a chance and leave reviews :) You guys are awesome! :) :) :D

Happy belated Canada Day to my fellow Canadians! :) I was out until late yesterday, which was why I didn't get a chance to post the chapter. Not to mention, this weekend has be so unbelievably busy...

I'm going camping next weekend (woo!) and therefore, my next update may be a little late. I promise, I'll get it up as soon as possible :)

Before I get into the next chapter, I just want to make a very, very exciting announcement regarding Time Passes On:

Amaneh has so kindly and graciously offered to beta this fanfiction! I'm so unbelievably happy about this, since I keep missing stuff when I read it over, and my grammar skills suck. So, starting with the next chapter, Time Passes On will officially have a beta! :D Yay!

Sorry for the longer author's note. Now, Chapter 9!

* * *

"Clint you idiot, it's Lucy!" She snapped, yanking her hood down. The stocky commander's eyes widened in surprise and he immediately dropped the gun from her head, his face turning a sickly pale green.

"Be a little more obvious next time." He muttered, holstering his gun. "Zeref would have massacred me if I had actually shot you." He clicked the safety back on before looking up at her accusingly. "Finally you show up through. I was beginning to wonder if the Golden One was having second thoughts."

"Better I come a little late then blow my cover." Lucy shot back, unzipping her hoodie to reveal more of her face. "Some of us have to interact with the common populace on a daily basis."

"Yeah, you do have it pretty rough don't you?" A sneer curled his lips. "I've heard the rumours. Didn't expect a former flame to show up, eh? I'm sure Zeref won't be pleased to hear of your…dalliances."

"That's all they are- RUMOURS." Lucy retorted, trying to resist the urge to sock Clint in his fat, pompous face. "You know fully well that I would never betray Zeref."

"Still, informing him of those rumours could put me on his good side, and open up many more opportunities for myself." Clint mused, his grey eyes sparkling maliciously. Lucy glared at him.

She really, really didn't like Clint.

Despite what the world thought, the honourable Commander Barden Clint was not the incredible, pedestal placing military leader his façade made him out to be. He was a power hungry sleazebag, always sniffing out ways to increase his influence in the world. This desire had led him to be a spy for Zeref for a number of years. He recognized the brutal power that radiated around the black mage, which easily coerced him into joining enemy ranks. Clint was also secretly capable of simple teleportation magic, which was what had allowed him to sneak up on Lucy so effectively.

Even though Clint was a deplorable, two faced human being, he was an absolutely brilliant actor. He had wormed his way into being on the receiving end of General Kain's and Commander Roke's utmost trust and respect. He relayed everything they told him back to Zeref, who would then decide if their actions needed to be halted instantly, or they could continue on under careful monitoring. As ruthless as Zeref was, he was no fool. He knew that the death of two high up military officials outside of a war would be interpreted as an attack on the country, no matter how accidently he made the deaths look. The dark mage wanted the war to start on his own times and terms, which had thus kept Roke and Kain alive much longer than he would have preferred. However, with the incoming war, Lucy knew for a fact that Zeref would be targeting them, and the likelihood of them surviving was slim to none. Among other things, Zeref had a talent for getting what he wanted.

"Zeref knows what you are." Lucy said coolly, crossing her arms in disgust. "He knows you are a power grubbing snake of a man. He won't believe a word you say about me- his most trusted ally." Clint turned pale again, and began to apologize profusely. Lucy held up a hand, her gaze flinty.

"Did you bring a flashlight?" She inquired. Clint produced a yellow, heavy duty lantern, which he set on the ground and flicked on, filling the small room with light. Lucy blinked to adjust to the sudden brightness, her gaze drawn to a large chest which took up a third of the tiny room.

"The plans are in there." Clint said, pointing at the heavy duty contraption. Lucy shot him a withering look at his obvious statement. She strode over to the chest, running her hand along the sides, trying to see if there were any wards protecting the outside.

"What kind of security does this thing have?" She asked Clint, not looking at him as she continued her surface investigation of the trunk.

"A lot." Clint said worriedly. "Wards are literally plastered on the inside. I've already disabled the lacrima on the perimeter, so let's make this quick so I'm not suspected." Lucy nodded, spying a titanium padlock bigger than her palm locking the two halves of the chest together. She picked it up, allowing it to rest in her hand.

"I don't suppose you have a key?" She asked wryly. Clint looked at her scathingly.

"General Kain always has the key on him. So no, I don't have a key."

"Well then." Lucy shrugged, rolling up her sleeves. "I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

"Careful Lucy." Holly whispered, as the celestial mage took the padlock in both of her small hands. Lucy nodded, and after a moment of concentration, both her hands were enveloped in blue fire, rapidly disintegrating the lock into ash. After she was done, she fell back, nearly completely spent from the effort. Clint smirked at her.

"Still haven't figured that one out yet?" Lucy scowled at him, picking herself off from the ground.

"If you think you're so clever, why don't you just teleport into that huge chest, and then teleport back out?" She challenged. Clint stuttered.

"That's impossible!"

"No, I've seen it done before by teleportation mages far more advanced than yourself." She taunted. Clint snapped his mouth shut, enabling Lucy to continue her inspection of the chest.

"Can you open it?" Holly asked anxiously, flitting down beside the blond wizard. Lucy nodded slowly.

"It doesn't seem that complex. I guess they thought they had kept these plans a good enough secret from the outside world not to warrant extraordinary attention." Her eyes flickered down to her small cat. "We wouldn't have found out about it if Clint hadn't tattled." Clint glowered at her comment, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Well, if it isn't that hard, then why don't you hurry up so we can get out of here?"

"Yeah, yeah." Lucy waved her hand dismissively as she pushed the lid open, her eyes immediately perceiving the paper wards, plastered to the sides of the chest. A thick metal tube was place in the centre of the chest, gleaming dully in the light of the lantern.

"Do you see it?" Holly asked hushedly.

"I see it." Lucy whispered, staring at the metal tube with reverence. After an entire year of planning, it was finally within her grasp. Roke's plans to kill Acnologia. She paused, letting the significance of the moment to sink in before she commenced removing the last obstacle between her and those plans. The wards.

Corresponding with her initial examination, the wards seemed to be military grade and their placement appeared to be that of a non-wizard, which made them infinitely easier to break. Lucy shook her head. It appeared that in his quest to keep the plans secret, Kain had taken another gamble. A gamble that no doubt cost him the extra security that may have hindered her plans, which would have in turn protected his precious game piece. Taking a deep breath, Lucy pressed her palms against the side of the chest, her hands beginning to glow with blue energy. Biting her lip in focus, she encased the chest in the blue energy, effectively detaching the wards that covered the velvet interior.

When the last ward joined the others at the bottom of the chest, Lucy drew her hands away, pausing to wipe a bead of sweat off her brow. This entire process was sucking her magic up much faster than she had anticipated. She would have to be careful, and ensure she saved some in case of an emergency.

"You did it!" Holly said in awe. Clint nodded wordlessly, his eyes wide. Lucy managed a tiny smile in response, which became bigger as she reached for the metallic tube.

"We finally have them." She whispered joyously. "The plans." Popping open the tube, she unrolled the long piece of paper.

"Strategy 14567-D, Black Death." She read aloud.

"That's the military's code name for Acnologia. These are without a doubt Roke's plans." Clint said as Lucy continued to unroll the paper. Her eyes skimmed its content thoroughly, her brows arching in interest.

"How is it?" Holly demanded. "Do you think Roke's onto something?" Lucy rolled up the paper, nodding sharply.

"Yeah, he definitely is." She said grimly. The three fell silent, staring at the roll of paper in Lucy's hands.

"How?" Clint said hoarsely. "He's not even military trained! How did he out of everyone in Fiore figure out how to kill the Black Dragon?"

"Grief empowers people just as much as it brings them down." Lucy replied, her voice clipped. "Not only did Roke lose his wife and son during the Acnologia attack, but pretty much his entire village."

"Still…Kain has had people working on plans like these for years. The best of the best."

"Who didn't have the same kind of motivation." Lucy reminded him, turning the scroll over in her hands. It was amazing how such a seemingly insignificant object could hold such power to upset the scale in this war.

It could not be allowed to exist.

Blue fire enveloped her hands once more, and the scroll was immediately reduced to ash. She let the ash slip through her fingers, staring at the remaining black residue. She wiped her hands on her hoodie, raising her eyes to meet Holly's solemn ones.

"What now?"

"We fabricate evidence and make sure we don't leave any of our own here."

"Fabricate how exactly?" Clint inquired rudely. Lucy shot him a sidelong glance, grimacing internally.

"Like this." And she punched Clint in the face.

* * *

The next morning, the patrols found an unconscious Commander Clint not far from the pile of firewood concealing the secret room. They immediately took him to the medical tent, where he was treated for his injuries which were non- life threatening, but still severe. When he finally stirred, he demanded that someone get word to General Kain. He refused to reveal the reason, however, after authoritatively repeating it multiple times, the soldiers obliged and immediately went to seek out a messenger. From training, a number of them recalled Jet's incredible speed. Therefore, during breakfast, some patrols collected him, and informed him of his task. Although frightened, Jet readily agreed.

Therefore, Clint was helped to sit up so he could scrawl a note on a piece of paper. He stuck it in an envelope and sealed it with a lump of red wax before handing it to Jet, warning him not to read its contents. He then gave Jet directions to where General Kain and Commander Roke were mostly likely enroute from. With a swift nod, Jet departed from Base Camp B, much to the confusion of his guild members and friends. Levy was the most distraught, demanding anyone who would listen why one of her dearest friends had gone on a solo mission that would undoubtedly involve him crossing into enemy territory. She was given no answer, and neither was anyone else. However, despite their best efforts, the news of Clint's attack, his letter and the presence of a possible spy spread through the camp like wildfire. The higher ups continued to say little on the subject, putting their complete trust in Clint's judgement to keep this entire ordeal quiet until Kain arrived to guide them through it.

* * *

By the time Lucy came down to breakfast, the atmosphere at the table Fairy Tail usually occupied was abnormally tense. Every guild member sat, their posture stiff and their food going cold and untouched. Natsu moved over, allowing her to settle in her usual spot. His eyes darted up to unconsciously look at her, noting the confusion present on her face. Being the last to arrive, she must have missed the news of the current crisis and Jet's departure.

"What's going on?" She asked curiously. Her eyes shifted over to Levy, who was sitting upright, with Gajeel's toned arm protectively around her small shoulders.

"Jet was given a solo mission to deliver a letter to General Kain." Gray said, strumming his fingers on the table. Lucy's forehead creased.

"What? Why?"

"There may be a spy in the camp." Jellal said gravely. "Commander Clint was attacked last night. He was found unconscious earlier this morning."

"When he finally came to, he ordered a letter be taken to General Kain." Gajeel added gruffly.

"And since Jet's the fastest in the camp, he was chosen to deliver the letter." Levy said quietly, her expression stony. "Even though it meant sending him through areas that have been rumoured to have high dark guild activity." Ever the compassionate, mother- like figure, Mira placed her hand over Levy's.

"It is true though. Jet is the fastest, not to mention he's very reliable. If I needed a letter delivered to someone right away, I would choose Jet as well." Mira said, looking unhappy with her logic. Laxus squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"It's during times like these I wish we had Edo- Natsu's car." Natsu muttered, pushing his plate away so he could fold his arms and rest his head on them. "It's always Fairy Tail that has to do the dirty work." He felt Lucy sit beside him, her hand on the small of his back.

"That's because we're Fairy Tail." She told him firmly. "No one else is capable of achieving what we are."

"Lucy's right." Master said, strolling down the table. His tone was light, however there was still a troubled expression on his face. "We are chosen because we're the best. It's something we should all be proud of, not resent. We all worked our asses off to get to the top, and now that we're here, we have responsibilities that we didn't have before." He looked at the grief stricken solid script mage softly. "Jet will be fine. Kain will take care of him. It won't end like last time." Natsu felt his insides shrivel up at the memory, even more worried now then he had been before. Before Makarov had uttered those words, he hadn't truly associated Jet's situation with Lucy's past one. He felt Lucy increase the pressure of her touch on his back, as if to remind him that she was still there. He looked at her, grateful that she still seemed to understand what he needed even when he didn't know himself.

* * *

Near the end of the day, Jet returned safely, with a grim looking Kain and a shell shocked Roke in tow. The two men didn't greet anyone upon their return, choosing to duck into the medical tent where Clint was still resting. Jet was immediately crowded by his ecstatic guild members. He was rather proud of himself, as this was the first time he had ever succeeded on a wildly important mission, and a solo one at that. He even revealed to the group that he was to be given a medal for delivering a hugely important message under such dangerous circumstances. Droy looked a little jealous, but overall, the orange haired wizard's success was met with the utmost happiness, and may have even gone so far as to earn him a little more respect in the eyes of the more powerful mages, such as Laxus and Gajeel.

So, after hours of worrying and pacing, everything turned out to be fine, easing the mind of the mages of Base Camp B. However, the reality of war suddenly hit hard, and many mages were beginning to question their courage and desire to charge headlong into what could end up being an impossible fight. To top it all off, the content of the message and the reasons for Clint's hospitalization was still largely a mystery.

That is, except for a certain blonde mage and a bronze furred cat. And of course, Clint himself.

Naturally, theories were thrown around. Mad conspiracy theories were concocted, but eventually dismissed because of the utter ridiculousness of them. However, as night fell, everyone realized that they weren't going to learn anything tonight and resigned themselves to wait until morning to be informed. Natsu and Levy lingered with Lucy a bit longer after everyone had fallen asleep, for it was clear that the celestial mage was troubled by the events that had just surpassed. However, as the night became old, Levy tucked Lucy into bed, encouraging her to get some sleep before she dragged the protesting pyro back to the tent he shared with Gray and Gajeel. She ordered them to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't try to sneak back out to see Lucy.

"She has Holly if she needs someone." She told him brusquely, before she left for her own tent. "She doesn't need a crowd watching over her. She still needs time to absorb all this." Natsu bristled at being referred to as a 'crowd' and the stab of jealously he felt only went to further contribute to his increasing foul mood. Although he knew that Lucy was an independent spirit, she had always shared what was on her mind with him and he had always felt he could trust her with his problems as well. The kind of support they provided each other had been what made them such a good, solid team. Over time, Natsu found himself developing a sixth sense for perceiving when his partner was plagued by emotional turmoil, which was why he was concerned for her in the present moment.

Since Lucy returned, she had been acting a little strange. Natsu saw that she made an effort to stay true to her former self that had existed within Fairy Tail, however she was more quiet and withdrawn. She wasn't as outgoing, and her once bubbly personality was guarded, shining through only when she was goofing off with Holly. Of course, her kindness and compassion still shone through like a beam of light, which still drew him to her. However, despite that, he couldn't help but feel she was…incomplete.

She had also yet to tell him the details of her captivity. To be fair, she hadn't told anyone, but he thought that the kind of relationship they had shared would make him an ideal person to confide in. On top of that, she had yet to tell him _anything_, even the particulars of her day_. _She used to talk about her writing, and complain, gush and gossip to the point it nearly drove him crazy. However now, her exuberant personality was noticeably absent and surprisingly, it was what he missed most about her. She had told him that her years away had changed her, and that she didn't take things for granted anymore. Was this what was responsible for her change in demeanor?

Natsu groaned loudly, turning over in an attempt to shut off his brain. What was he thinking? He was an awful friend. Here he was, pining for her, when she was _here_, physically healthy, alive and so obviously struggling. He buried his face into his pillow, waking up Happy, who grudgingly moved to the foot of the bed, allowing Natsu to sort out his angsty feelings. Natsu glanced at his blue exceed apologetically before returning to his thoughts. Lucy had been through a lot. He remembered how Erza's childhood past had scarred her, shaping her into a insecure, lonely girl who had eventually begun to be healed by the love and support she had received at Fairy Tail. The guild would extend the same treatment to Lucy, and being the strong, spitfire of a girl that was still undoubtedly concealed within her, she would pull through and slowly start to move towards being herself again.

Of course, he would be patient. He knew the real Lucy Heartfilia, and he believed with every fiber of his being that she _would _beat her mental torture. He knew that her time away had to have been hard on her, for she had been someone who had always walked the earth thinking there was good in everyone. Seeing one's beliefs torn apart in front of them would be enough to mess up anyone.

He would wait. He would wait until she realized that she was surrounded by loving friends who would protect her until their last breath. Once she rediscovered that, he knew that she would be able to lean on their strength and begin to heal. However, a war zone wasn't exactly the ideal place to begin this process. Therefore, until the day they were able to return to Magnolia, he would support her with everything he had. He would help her deal with the consequences, and make sure she knew without a doubt, she wasn't alone, nor would she ever be again.

* * *

Thank you for reading!:) Please R&R!


	10. Introducing the Task Force

Hey...I'm back! *ducks head in shame*

I'm so sorry about the two month hiatus. Hopefully that won't ever happen again, but while juggling university, a part time job and a volunteer position, there is a high possibility it might

We're hitting the double digit chapters now though! Woohoo! Before we get into the story, I want to thank my amazing beta, Amenah, for slogging through this entire chapter and fixing all my mistakes! :) She's amazing, and she deserve a round of applause for her work!

Now...for chapter 10!

* * *

Due to the sudden downpour that occurred in the early hours of the next day, morning brought with it overcast skies and a damp, muddy ground. When the first horn sounded, slightly disgruntled soldiers began to trudge out of their tents, already thinking longingly of their warm, dry beds.

However, despite the gloomy weather, Erza found that her normal early-bird routine went uninterrupted. As per usual, she rose long before the first wake-up call and dressed herself for the day before rousing Jellal. After changing into his own clothes, Jellal would always come and meet her just outside of their tent, where he would tenderly intertwine his fingers with hers and kiss her softly on the cheek.

"Good morning," he said just as he always did, his lips curling into the smile that never failed to bring a hint of a rosy blush to the Titania's cheeks.

"Good morning," she returned, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her ash-brown eyes flickered up to meet his lighter honey-shaded gaze. As always, his eyes were filled with the utmost adoration for _her_. As he leaned down to press his lips to hers in a chaste kiss, Erza couldn't help but think about how she had gotten so lucky. This man loved her with everything he had, and she felt for him just as strongly.

She hummed happily as the handsome blue-haired mage rested his forehead against hers; he absentmindedly stroked the sapphire and ruby engagement ring that everlastingly decorated her finger, creating a peaceful moment. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept alright. I thought our tent was going to collapse a few times last night, which made me feel a little homesick."

Jellal nodded wholeheartedly in agreement. "I miss our bed, too. And the lockable door."

Living in a block of tents with a guild as open as Fairy Tail had literally dubbed the term 'privacy' non-existent. Tent flaps were easy far too easy for nosy guild members to manipulate, creating unrestricted entry to other members' tents. Therefore, it was actually quite rare for Erza to have some alone time like this with her husband. Tucking herself into his side, she sighed blissfully as his strong arms automatically wrapped themselves around her. She reached up, her fingers brushing against the silver wedding band that had faithfully adorned his ring finger for a little over three years now. Three wonderful, almost picture-perfect years. However, what with everything they had had to endure to get to this point, one would be hard-pressed to find a more deserving couple blessed with the gift of such a blissful marriage.

To the members of Fairy Tail, it was common knowledge that Erza had suffered a horrific childhood of abuse and slavery. Living in a place where no child was allowed to have anything of their own, Erza had considered her friendship with Jellal to be her most prized possession. He had always been kind to her, and had worked tirelessly to lessen the horrors of their 'home' for her. He wasn't just her protector and saviour. He was also the boy who had given her a name - an identity that she still used today. As far as Erza was concerned, that had been a gift that she would never be able to repay. Even though they had been kept prisoner in a dark, evil place, Jellal had always managed to give her new things to live for - things that would make her smile, increase her confidence and allow her to grow as a person. She had placed him on a pedestal in her life, believing he was invincible against all things that desired to hurt him. He had been so strong…

But then, his descent into darkness began.

Erza _knew_ that it was partially her fault. He had taken the blame for her actions, and so, had been punished. When she saw the twisted look of evil on the face of the boy she had long considered to be the kindest person she knew, everything Erza had hung her fragile hopes on was shattered. Jellal was who she had drawn her strength from, and with his head filled with such evil, Erza slowly began to realize that she could no longer expect comfort and goodness from the boy she loved. She would have to learn to stand on her own two feet. Establish her independence. Write her _own_ destiny.

Her first heartbreak was what had inspired her to get stronger - physically and emotionally. She learned to trust and depend upon only herself. Her lifetime of insecurity was what had encouraged her intensive training and extensive collection of armour. She told herself that it was her strength, and not her friends, which would ultimately protect her. However, after she had been taken in by Fairy Tail, she found that her ability to trust people immediately grew, and her previous theories on the coarseness of those around her were abandoned. In Fairy Tail, she was cared for and loved fiercely by all. Fairy Tail had been her saving grace; it was the force that had helped her realize that she, too, in her own way, had fallen into the darkness. With the constant support she received and the unbreakable bonds she had made with her friends, she had been yanked back into the light. Finally, Erza had allowed herself to _live._

Years later, meeting Jellal at the Tower of Heaven had made her realize that their years of separation had done little to free her of her conflicting feelings for him. When she saw him, with his elaborate tattoo and his messy blue hair, she remembered the kind little boy who had given her her last name. However, his ruthless murder of Simon had awoken her to reality like a slap in the face. The little boy from her childhood was gone, buried beneath the depths of a dark demon. This marked her second heartbreak – one that had left her spending countless nights at Lucy's apartment, bawling her eyes out over tea or hot cocoa. She had felt like a traitor to Simon, because despite the fact that she had witnessed Jellal murder a man who had loved her and trusted her with his entire being, she still did not – _could_ not - despise him. Instead, she found herself missing him and worrying over whether he was dead or alive, thus bringing herself endless hours of grief and insomnia.

When Jellal returned to Erza for the second time after being healed by Wendy, his amnesia seemed to mark the slow return of his old self – he rediscovered himself his sense of justice. And even though Erza most certainly still had qualms about trusting him, she found herself beginning to _hope._ With his memory of the evil presence that once seemed to possess him gone... Would he revert back to the boy she had never stopped loving? However, allowing herself to hope ended up being her ultimate downfall. Once they defeated their enemies, Jellal was arrested, and taken away by the Magic Council to serve a life sentence in penance of his crimes. Her third heartbreak was the most crippling, for he had been so close… And yet, so far away. With him spending life in prison at the most highly guarded facility in Fiore, Erza knew that she would probably never see him again.

But still, she did.

After her seven year sleep on Tenrou Island, she and the others returned and began to train for the Grand Magic Games. Seeing him again with his dignity and righteousness intact dredged up all the feelings she had buried deep within herself since seeing him being escorted to the jail cart. That night, amid a beautiful sunset, Erza came to the startling realization that her feelings for Jellal had definitely surpassed the boundary of a mere childhood crush. She had fallen completely and utterly in love with him. To the point where she knew that she would never be able to love anyone else.

She experienced her fourth heartbreak that night. Her time at Fairy Tail had taught her to respect herself and if she tried to pursue Jellal while he was still so unsure and broken, it would only serve to drag her down from the progress she had already made for herself. Erza knew she deserved better, and forced herself to walk away and wait, while being careful to never get her hopes up too high.

It was then that the Acnologia incident occurred.

As the months passed, Erza slowly recovered from her physical injuries. With Wendy's expertise and the careful watchfulness of Jellal, she managed to progress through her treatment without receiving an infection. However, once she was fully healed and free of the pain medication and the sleepiness it provided, Erza was forced to confront her raw emotional wounds – wounds that only worsened with each passing day. Natsu's departure had nearly torn her apart, further increasing the massive, suffocating guilt and grief she felt about the entire situation.

_She_ had been the one to tear the guild apart.

_She_ had caused the situation that had left everyone suffering.

Erza spent weeks in a pit of despair and self-loathing. Wendy had presented her with some herbal remedies and healing magic to help with her mood, but both failed. As she fell deeper and deeper into a state of depression, the rest of Fairy Tail grew more and more worried about her mental state, knowing that after losing Lucy and possibly Natsu, there was no way they would be able to survive losing their precious Titania. It was Jellal who remained by her side. His support never wavered; always was he whispering words of love and devotion to her while she slept. After he rushed her to Fairy Tail after the incident, he had secretly remained in the guild hall for a number of months helping Wendy take care for her. With his constant presence, Erza's emotional turmoil eventually ceased, scarred over and faded. She knew that if Jellal hadn't stayed with her, she most likely wouldn't have pulled through. The more she thought about it, the more her love for him grew.

However, after four months of hiding out in Fairy Tail, the Magic Council was somehow tipped off about his whereabouts, and thus it was no longer safe for him to remain at the guild. Even though Erza had known this would happen eventually, it didn't make his departure any easier. During their time together, Erza realized that it was a future with him that she wanted more than anything, and because he was constantly on the run, that dream just wouldn't become her reality. Desperate, she reached out to the only man she knew even stood the slightest chance of helping her.

Alexander Roke.

The former mayor of Milder had spent the past four months in a long-term treatment centre being rehabilitated for his amputated leg. The day he had entered rehab, the King of Fiore himself had come by to pay him a visit and offer his sincere condolences for Roke's devastating losses. After talking for four hours, the King was impressed by his determination and passion, and thus extended to him a position on the royal council. Roke accepted, and needless to say, he didn't disappoint. No matter how ill or tired he felt on a particular day, he attended each and every council meeting in a wheelchair until he finally mastered the use of his prosthetic leg. He also came up with new and innovative ideas, proving to be a master planner and strategist. His compassion, intelligence and drive were all rewarded with more power, greater status, and a higher influence in the running of Fiore.

Since it was Erza and Lucy who had rescued the survivors from Milder, Alex had always claimed he had owed Erza, especially since she herself had lost a beloved comrade that day. However, Erza had always declined his attempts to pay her back. As Fairy Tail wizards, it was their responsibility to help people in needed, no matter what the consequences may be. It was one of the traits that made Fairy Tail stand tall amongst the other guilds. But, after Jellal left Fairy Tail, Erza found herself knocking on Alex's door in the rehab centre and begging for his help. She needed him to give Jellal his freedom.

Of course, Roke agreed wholeheartedly to help her and immediately set to work on her request. Miraculously, Erza opened the guild door two months after her visit, only to see Jellal, Ultear and Meredy sitting at the bar, the Fairy Tail insignia emblazoned on their upper arms. Holding back tears, the Titania stood at the door and simply took in the moment. Jellal was free, and he was home.

At that moment, Erza Scarlett had never felt so blessed.

* * *

Soon after Jellal's return to Fairy Tail, he and Erza slowly entered an official relationship. It felt strange to finally be with the person that you've loved for so long. It was _amazing_, but at the same time, it was _surreal_, and a part of Erza was sure that something would go wrong and in the end, Jellal would have leave once again.

Except nothing _did_ go wrong.

In fact, the blue haired mage seemed to be hell-bent on _not_ leaving her. He refused to even go on missions without either obtaining her permission or demanding that she went along with him. She knew that he was trying to convince her that he wasn't leaving and she was thrilled that he was making the effort. However, a part of her still held some uncertainty and distrust towards him. Despite the circumstances, Jellal had broken her heart a total of five times. When they were children, the when he killed Simon, when he was arrested after helping them stop Nirvana, when he rejected her feelings before the Grand Magical Games, and when he had to leave Fairy Tail to avoid legal detection... But regardless of all the hurt their relationship had endured, Erza believed that if they managed to bypass it, it would undoubtedly make them stronger.

As their relationship deepened over the passing weeks, Erza found that Jellal was becoming the stability that her life had so desperately missed. He was her rock during Lucy's memorial ceremony, and he was always after she cried to put her back together. He was on hand when she woke up screaming from a nightmare, and he even learned to bake her favourite strawberry cake recipe. With him beside her, her life had blossomed into one overflowing with light and colour. Without even realizing it, he had shown her that her days before him had been dim and bleak. Therefore, when he finally got down on one knee and presented her with her beautiful engagement ring, the answer popped into her head almost instantaneously. Even though she had still been rather apprehensive regarding their relationship, she knew that there was absolutely no way that she wanted to return to a life without him.

So, of course, she accepted.

Four months later, Erza and Jellal married in a beautiful candle-lit sunset ceremony by the sea. Erza wore a custom strapless gown that modestly hugged her curves and flared out into a ruffled skirt. Her hair was up in a complex braided updo, and pinned with a delicate white flower and a gossamer veil. She was given away at the altar by Natsu and Gray – friends who had saved her time after time, proving their utter loyalty and friendship. She couldn't imagine anyone else doing the honours. It had been a wonderful, perfect day, which completely made up for the months of stressful and emotional wedding planning.

When the time had come for her to choose her maid of honour, her mind automatically went to the bubbly blonde who could no longer fulfill her intended position. Not wanting to dwell, the role had gone to Wendy instead, who performed her duties flawlessly. However, just before she went to meet Natsu and Gray at the foot of the aisle, she found herself thinking of Lucy and how happy the celestial mage would have been for her. Without any effort, Erza visualised the encouraging smile Lucy would have most certainly offered her just before she began her walk towards her soon-to-be husband. As Erza and Jellal recited their vows in a room full of the watery eyes and joyful face of their friends, the dark cloud that had hung over Fairy Tail since Lucy's disappearance finally began to disperse.

"Hello?" Jellal snapped his fingers in front of her face briefly. Erza looked up at him, drawn out of her memories. His mouth was twisted in a smirk of amusement. "You were a million miles away."

"Mhm. Just thinking," she replied, pulling out of his embrace. She glanced to the side, noticing the number of recruits filing towards the mess hall slowly increasing. "We should go."

"Alright," Jellal agreed, threading his fingers with her own. Erza squeezed his hand in response, and the couple began to make their way to breakfast.

"By the way," Erza asked, "do you know how Clint's doing?"

"I heard from others that he's pretty much okay," Jellal replied. "He was released from the infirmary last night."

"Really? So soon?"

"The worst of his injuries was a concussion. After keeping him for observation and patching up his other injuries, they discharged him."

"I'm glad to hear he's doing alright," Erza said honestly. "I think he would be greatly missed if something happened to him."

"I agree. He seems to be one of the rare few in the world that truly seems to want what's best for everyone."

"Then we're fortunate to have someone like him leading us."

"We're fortunate to have all three - Clint, Roke and Kain," Jellal said, pulling aside the tent flap for Erza to duck under. Erza nodded in agreement.

"That we are," she responded, before waving in greeting to her fellow Fairy Tail members, who had already gathered at their usual table.

"I'll grab us some food. How about you go sit down?" Jellal whispered to her, pulling out a chair for her next to Mirajane, who smiled brightly up at the two of them.

"After all these years, he seems to still be a gentleman," she commented as Jellal went to stand in line at the buffet table.

Erza laughed, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. "Good morning, Mira."

Mira rolled her eyes at her obvious deflection. "Good morning, Erza! She chirped cheerfully.

"How did you sleep?"

"Obviously much better than these three," Mira giggled, gesturing to the slumped forms of Natsu, Gray and Gajeel directly across from them at the table.

Erza raised one eyebrow. "Were you guys up all night again playing war?"

Natsu yawned widely in response. "I kicked Gray's ass."

Gray shot up, his exhaustion apparently forgotten. "It was a tie, you ashtard."

"Was too!"

"WAS NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

At this point, both boys had disregarded their fatigue in favour of getting in each other's face. Erza frowned. Their argument was loud, and it was disrupting the peace of their table. Not to mention that as two grown, mature men who claimed to be good friends, there were other more _effective_ ways of settling their disputes.

"Are you two fighting again?" she asked, her tone dangerous.

"No!" they both exclaimed, quickly sitting down.

Gray slapped Natsu on the back. "We're just riling each other up for today. Right, Natsu, old buddy, old pal?"

Natsu grunted in response. _Of course,_ Erza thought, shaking her head. _I was foolish to think otherwise. _A loud snort from behind her announced Jellal's arrival as he placed her dish in front of her before taking his usual seat at her side. She looked at him questioningly; however, he merely shook his head, a defined smirk on his face. Narrowing her eyes at him, she resolved to ask again later.

"I wonder where Lucy is," Levy noted, placing her book aside. "She's usually here by now."

Mira's brow creased in response. However, her forehead smoothed over immediately as she craned her head to watch the mess hall entrance behind Levy. "She just arrived," she said happily, waving to catch Lucy's attention. Mirajane frowned again in confusion. She's with Clint and Kain."

Almost immediately, everyone at the table snapped their heads round to see a battered-looking Clint place a hand on Lucy's shoulder in a fatherly gesture. He said something quietly to her, but Lucy shrugged his hand off without a word before making her way over to the designated Fairy Tail table and sliding in between Levy and Natsu. She nodded and smiled in greeting before falling silent again.

"Is everything okay, Lucy?" Mira asked quietly, reaching over to place her hand over the downcast celestial mage's.

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

No one was fooled by that. There was a war raging in her deep brown eyes. However, between what emotions, they could not tell. Erza glanced at her husband worriedly before casting her own gaze downwards. Ever since they had found Lucy at Base Camp B, Erza's initial joy had spiralled down into anxiety over her friend's well being. Lucy evidently wasn't herself, and always seemed to be on edge with them; the effortlessness that had once come with her company was now gone. Of course, Erza understood why. She herself had taken a long time to come to terms with the trauma associated with the battle against Acnologia, and knew that Lucy needed more time to come to terms with what had happened to her before she could relax again and see that she still had a future.

Erza had also yet to spend some one-on-one time with Lucy, something she planned on changing within the next day or two. She felt the overwhelming need to apologize for how things went that night, and simply _talk_ to her. She had missed her best girlfriend greatly, and wanted her back. Erza longed for the time when the two of them would chat on the train while Gray napped and Natsu was dying of motion sickness in the corner. She longed for the time when she would drop by Lucy's house after a long, stressful day at the guildhall, and they would just _talk_ until the early hours of the morning.

Basically, Erza wanted her best friend back.

But Erza knew that time would begin to heal Lucy's wounds, and, with the help of a force like Fairy Tail, she knew that Lucy would most certainly begin to revert back to her former self. However, she also knew there could be changes, and Erza was fine with that. Even if she never completely returned to her former self, she knew that she would never stop caring about her, nor stop considering Lucy her best friend. Just as Natsu was sure to do, Erza would work around the changes and work on making sure that Lucy knew that she would forever be accepted and loved, because that was the Fairy Tail way, and very few Fairy Tail mages had ever strayed from it.

It was their bonds that made them such a strong guild, and as the years had passed, through joy, miracles and tragedy, these bonds only strengthened. Erza looked around at her teammates, smiling as she watched Natsu pester Lucy, Juvia fawn over Gray, Levy tease Gajeel, and Laxus casually drape a protective arm around Mira. Each one of these people contributed to something truly special – a universal acceptance of each other that was particularly unique. And that acceptance had only reached complete unity once Lucy had arrived. She had made her way into Natsu's heart faster than anyone before. She had also set in motion the chain of events necessary to achieve what Fairy Tail had today. Therefore, it wasn't truly Fairy Tail without Lucy Heartfilia, and that was why no member of the guild would ever give her up.

"Recruits! Attention, please!" The room gradually fell silent as around two thousand pairs of eyes turning to Kain, who was standing at the podium.

"What happened to him?" Jellal whispered to her. Erza shook her head soundlessly, just as much at a loss as he was.

General Kain, a man who Erza had associated with pristinely pressed jackets, tucked in shirts and gelled hair had seemingly opted for a much more dishevelled appearance today. His usually slicked back hair was sticking up in small messy spikes. He had grey bags under his eyes; the gold buttons on his maroon military coat were left unfastened; his tie was undone. Kain gripped the sides of the podium with slightly shaking hands that shook, something that was only noticeable to Erza's trained warrior eye. Despite his defeated appearance, the General's eyes shone with their signature steel.

Leaning forward, he began to speak.

"My friends... I'm afraid I have some very upsetting news to share with you this morning." He paused, testing the silence of the room before continuing. "Our beloved Commander Alexander Roke was found dead in his tent morning. Murdered."

It felt like someone had just punched Erza in the gut. She reeled back, her eyes wide and the blood rushing from her face. Jellal grasped her shoulders firmly and pulled her close, his eyes never leaving the stage.

"After some investigation, it's become evident that this wasn't a random hit." Kain continued, his voice grave. "If you recall the welcome speech when you first arrived, you will remember that we informed you that Roke had completed a set of plans guaranteed to strike down Acnologia. We believe that the person responsible for his murder is the same imposter that injured Commander Clint two nights ago." He inhaled, gripping the podium even tighter. "The spy broke into our secret underground vault, bypassed the security wards and overcame Commander Clint in order to successfully abduct Roke's plans. We believe that the agent is an informant of Zeref, and is therefore extremely dangerous. It is now that I reach out to everyone in this room, and ask you to come forward with any information you believe will help us identify the traitor, and bring them to justice."

A few sniffles and sobs sounded out in the otherwise still room, originating from those who knew him the best. However, for the most part, the mess hall was eerily silent, the majority of its occupants still reeling from shock.

"This situation has made it clear that we must act now. We must strike down a major part of Zeref's strategy and make him weak." Kain paused, his gaze sweeping across the hall. "We must kill Acnologia."

Suddenly, the room erupted into a chorus of hushed whispers, questions and protests that grew rapidly in volume. Kain raised his hands, gesturing for silence as he waited for the chatter to end.

"I know that this looks like a death mission. A foolish plan. And I..." He stopped again, looking as if he were trying to figure out how to phrase it best. "I don't deny that it is," he eventually conceded. "However, I have the utmost faith that we _can_ succeed. Fiore has faced greater challenges before – our nation has a rich history, and we have masterfully overcome hardships with determination, skill and no shortage of zeal and dumb luck." Kain smiled, but it sorely lacked humour. "In this room, I truly believe, every fibre of my being, that each and every one of you would stand a fighting chance against the Black Dragon. This is why Base Camp B is the pride and joy of the Fiore military, and it is my utmost honour to be your General."

"However, we simply _cannot_ invest all our resources into the Acnologia ambush. We need to keep our defences strong here, in case Zeref catches wind of our plan, or attacks us beforehand. Therefore, Commander Clint has selected twelve elite members from our ranks to form the Acnologia Task Force. These soldiers will leave tonight-" Straight away, the hall echoed with the sound of protest; Kain spoke over them without hesitation. "They will leave after dark has fallen, and immediately begin carrying out their objective. Their journey will no doubt be perilous and fraught with danger..." He waited for silence to fall before continuing, "Which is why their sacrifice will be recognised with a Medal of Valour."

He nodded to a younger woman, who had been standing quietly beside the stage for the duration of his speech. With her sunset-orange hair and clear blue eyes, Erza easily recognized her as Avaleigh Wells, Roke's fiancée. With her chin held high and her eyes devoid of tears, she carried a long velvet box to the stage, opening it to reveal twelve silver medals emblazoned with the Fiore Crest.

Smiling sadly at her, Kain took the velvet box and turned to Clint. "Commander?"

"Sir," Clint nodded, stepping out from behind his superior. Walking to his usual spot at the edge of the stage, he produced a stark white piece of paper from his pocket. Adjusting his silver reading glasses, he turned his attention to the audience, his demeanour uncharacteristically serious and business-like.

"Here, I have the names of the twelve people chosen to be on the task force. If you hear your name, please come to the stage and receive a medal from the lovely Ms Avaleigh."

Sucking in a deep breath, he began to read.

"Zane Metcalfe."

All eyes turned to the far side of the room, watching as a large, muscle-bound man whose physique rivalled that of Elfman's stood, his posture erect and proud. With his vast knowledge of different kinds of weaponry, he was a popular name within Base Camp B, and thus it was hardly a surprise that he had been selected to join the task force. He climbed the stage with surprising fluidity, and whispered his thanks to Avaleigh as she pinned a medal to his chest.

Clint continued, "Julianna Reeves."

Not far from where Zane had sat, a petite woman of about twenty five rose gracefully. With her 4'9 stature, Julianna gave off a rather deceptive air of fragility. However, she was a master of knife throwing and had been known to quickly and efficiently bring down enemies ten times her size. She stood next to Zane on stage, the height difference between them almost comical. She nodded as her Medal of Valour was also pinned to her clothes.

"Eddie Bates." The thirty year old sharpshooter joined his fellow recruits on the stage, his face blank as Avaleigh bestowed upon him his medal.

"Hayden Lake." At eighteen, Hayden was one of the youngest members of Base Camp B. However, she had shown great skill in tracking and navigation, and was also able to read weather patterns to perfection. Her skills were a necessary asset to any team, which was most certainly why she had been chosen for this one.

"Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney." The two former members of Sabertooth stood. As they received their medals, an evident smirk was upon Sting's face and Rogue was just as expressionless as ever.

"Gajeel Redfox." Slowly, the iron dragon slayer removed his arm from around Levy, his posture stiff as he walked to the stage. Levy dropped her head, managing to conceal the emotions that were no doubt raging within her.

"Laxus Dreyer." Looking grim but unsurprised, Laxus slid out of his seat. Mira grabbed his hand and pressed a quick kiss against his palm as he made his way to the stage.

Clint waited until Laxus had received his medal to read out the next name. "Natsu Dragneel."

Erza felt her stomach drop as images of bared teeth, deadly claws and impenetrable scale armour flashed through her mind. With sad eyes, she watched her childhood friend leave the table.

As he received his medal, a wide grin stretched across his face and a light applause rang through the room – Erza couldn't help her smalls mile as she saw the support he had. Since they arrived at Base Camp B, Natsu had proven himself to be an accomplished fighter, and was widely recognized for his unwavering loyalty and love of battle. Thus, it was hardly a surprise that Natsu made the cut for the task force. However, she couldn't help but take note of the anxiety that was rapidly welling within her.

The next name didn't help.

"Wendy Marvel."

Hearing her name called caused all of the members of Fairy Tail to stiffen, especially those who were already on stage. The blue haired beauty rose from her seat, her face set, her eyes betraying only a hint of worry.

"This isn't right," Wakaba stated, eliciting murmurs of agreement from others.

Even though the Sky Dragon Slayer was practically a grown woman now, she still radiated an aura of fragility and innocence. They no doubt wanted her for her healing abilities, which would most definitely be of use while fighting with the enemy. But still...

"Chelia Blendy." Another obvious pick. The Godslayer's advanced healing techniques would be absolutely critical to the success of the mission.

_One name left, _Erza thought, her eyes flickering to the people sitting around her. Gray would be as good a bet as any. His Ice-Make magic could prove to be integrally useful in battle. On the other hand, Mirajane was just as likely to be chosen since her demon Take Over magic was so potently powerful. Even Jellal or Erza herselfcould be considered potential candidates.

The mere thought made her shudder.

Thus, it was with sick anticipation that she watched Clint look back down at the paper, adjusting his glasses as he did so. Solemnly, he glanced back up at the crowd, which waited with baited breath. You could have heard a pin drop.

"Lucy Heartfilia."

In the silence that followed, it seemed that the soldiers had forgotten to breathe.

Of course, everyone knew who Lucy was – the infamous girl who practically came back from the dead after getting kidnapped by Acnologia. Due to her traumatic experience, it was only natural for people to think that she would be written off as a possible candidate. That's what Erza had thought. And based on the expressions of her comrades, that's what they had thought as well. She watched in horror as Lucy pushed her chair back and began to walk towards the stage without even glancing behind her.

"Master, we have to do something!" Mira said desperately. "We can't let her go back out there!" Makarov looked at her sympathetically.

"I don't like this anymore than you, Mirajane. But sometimes, the needs of many outweigh the needs of one. General Kain would never put Lucy in jeopardy unless he found it absolutely necessary."

Mira turned away from him, more than displeased with his answer.

"That's probably why she came in with them earlier." Levy whispered, hugging her book to her chest. "They must have been asking her if it was alright."

"And... Lucy agreed," Gray stated the obvious, leaning back in his chair. "That's so _Lucy_."

Erza remained silent, struggling to form a coherent thought.

Jellal put a hand on her shoulder, his face a mask of concern. "Erza?" he asked quietly.

She merely gave a small shake of her head, fighting to keep her riling emotions from erupting. Since Lucy wasn't a dragon slayer, there was a very distinct possibility that she could die on this mission. Erza would lose her friend to Acnologia... _again..._

Jellal opened his mouth to ask once more, but was interrupted by the loud voice of none other than the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"WHAT?!" Natsu bellowed as he pushed his way out of the line, his voice to loud in the hushed room. "You can't do this!"

"Natsu-" Wendy began.

"No! We're getting an explanation for this," he hissed, stepping in front of Lucy so she couldn't receive her medal.

Kain, who had watched the ceremony with a melancholy silence, analysed Natsu with darkened eyes. "Mr. Dragneel, I suggest you hold your tongue."

"Hold on, Kain," Clint interjected kindly. "Let's give the boy a chance to explain himself. Natsu, would you please come to my office after the ceremony has finished? We can talk there about your... _concerns_."

With hard eyes, Natsu gave a stiff nod and stepped back in line. Avaleigh pinned a medal onto Lucy's shirt while whispering a grateful 'thank you' to the celestial mage before stepping back.

"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the Base Camp B Task Force!" Clint announced, sweeping his hand in a grand gesture towards the twelve individuals standing on stage.

Applause followed his words, but it was impossible to miss the tension in the room. Over the past few months, all recruits had gotten to know and befriend at least one person standing on that stage. Based on the expressions crossing some faces in the room, quite a few people were already mourning their deaths.

Erza herself tried to think positively, but having faced Acnologia before, she knew what kind of battle awaited her friends... A battle so challenging and dominated by such a powerful foe that chances their success – of their _survival_ – were slim, especially without the help of Roke's plans.

And so, it was with a heavy heart that the Titania bowed her head, wiped her eyes, and began to pray for a miracle.


End file.
